100 OneShot Book Challenge
by Shadough
Summary: This is a challenge thing by Prin Pardus, one of my favorite authors and best friends.
1. Injured

_**Hey everyone, it's Shadow. I will be doing Prin Pardus's 100 OneShot Challenge! I really hope that I can do this, because I suck at these things. There are rules, too. It has to be at least 1,500 words. I have to do the themes in order. I can interpret them in anyway I feel like. This is the first one. Please enjoy.**_

**Injured**

Sunkit let out a squeak of surprise. He had tripped over a rock that he hadn't noticed, and almost ran into a squirrel. He sighed. He was too little for this forest. "Why are we out of camp again? I'm hungry." As if to confirm, his stomach growled.

"We're going to find some catmint for mommy, remember. She's sick and we have to help her," Flamekit reminded him. "I'm hungry too, but we can eat after we find the catmint."

"I'm hungry though," he whispered, "but we have to help momma." Only two days ago his mother, Froststar, had caught greencough. According to Breezepaw, it may turn into whitecough if not treated. There was no supply of catmint anywhere on the territory. The two kits had decided to sneak out of camp to find some. Unfortunately, they hadn't found any yet.

As they walked, Sunkit made another squeak. "Ow!" He stopped walking.

"What's wrong Sunkit?" asked Flamekit, turned towards her brother with concern.

Sunkit lifted his paw and saw a large thorn protruding from it. "I stepped on a thorn." He grabbed it between his teeth like Breezepaw had shown him. He started pulling on it slowly.

"That's not going to work," Flamekit meowed. "I'll do it." His sister grabbed the thorn between her teeth and jerked on it really hard.

"Ow!" He yowled. He looked at his paw. The thorn was gone, but it was covered in blood. "That hurt..." he mumbled. He started to lick his paw. When he was done, he looked at wound. It was still bleeding. "What now? Do we go back?"

"Of course not!" Flamekit exclaimed, sounding slightly offended. "We need that catmint. First, though, we need to wash off your paw."

"Yeah..." He sighed.

"Quiet!" Flamekit was moving her ears. "I think I hear water. What about you?"

Sunkit lifted his head and turned his ears. His sister was right, he could hear water. "I do too. Great, let's hurry before this gets infected."

Flamekit nodded. She helped keep her brother up as they walked to the water. As they emerged from some bushes, they saw a river. "Sunkit, I think this is the boundary between the territories!" she exclaimed.

Sunkit sniffed the air. "I think so, too." He started forward but stopped when he heard voices. He froze in fear.

"Sunkit, get back in the bushes! Those are the rouges!" Flamekit hissed.

Sunkit didn't move. He couldn't. Something was keeping him there.

"Sunkit!" Flamekit hissed again. As the cats emerged from the other side of the river, Flamekit disappeared into the bushes.

"Well, look at what's on the other side of the river. A kit," one of the cats meowed.

"Don't do anything Night. He's on his side," another cat meowed, obviously a she-cat.

"Shut up Flower!" the cat, Night, snapped. "I'm going to teach this kit a leasson." He smirked at the cat as he stepped into the river and swam across.

Sunkit became unfrozen, suddenly. He started to step backwards. "Run, Flamekit. Get one of the warriors. Hurry!" he whispered.

"What was that kit?" Night snapped.

"N-nothing," he stuttered. He dropped his tail and lowered his head. "P-please don't hurt me."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Night grabbed Sunkit by the scruff. "Clan rules, you aren't allowed out of camp. You are too close to the border. Tell me, what were you doing?"

"Night..." one of the other cats meowed.

"Hush Stone! Come on _kit, _tell me what you were doing." It was a command, and he had put a lot of emphasis on the word 'kit'.

"I stepped on a thorn looking for catmint so I came over to the river to wash it off," Sunkit quickly explained. He flattened his ears.

"I see. Well, what are you waiting for? Go wash it," Night told him, tossing him towards the river.

Sunkit landed with a thud a few mouse-lengths away from the edge. He got closer slowly.

"Hurry up!" Night told him. "I don't have all day."

Sunkit glanced at him. Night's claws were unsheathed and digging into the ground. He gave a tiny sigh before getting right to the edge and dipping his paws in. As he washed, he realized how fast the river was going. Just as he was finishing up, he was pushed. He gave a yowl.

He fell into the water. The water was pulling him down, and he could hear the voices of the rouges still.

"Night, how could you?" Flower yowled.

"How couldn't I?" He shot back.

Sunkit couldn't hear the voices anymore. They were getting quieter, meaning he was being pulled farther. He hit a rock. His claws dung into it, but he couldn't hold on, and was pulled into the river again.

He tried swimming. Everytime his head came above water he either breathed or yowled for help. He hit rocks and waterweeds. He couldn't hear anything anymore, except for the pounding of water in his ears.

He eventually got tangled up in some water vines. He tried to break free, but he couldn't. As he blacked out, he could hear a voice calling his name.

"I think he's waking up!" a voice he recognized as his sister's meowed excitedly. "Scarkit are you awake? Please be awake."

_Scarkit? _he asked himself. He opened one eye, and saw his sister. He fell straight back into unconciousness.

As he came back into conciousness, he could hear voices outside talking. "Clovertail, are you sure the wounds won't heal any better?" a voice asked.

"I'm positive, Froststar. I'm sorry, but your son will be scarred forever," Clovertail meowed, sadness in his voice.

"But-" a fit of coughing interrupted Froststar.

"Come back inside. You still have greencough, and the catmint Flower gave us isn't enough yet."

Scarkit opened his eyes as Clovertail and Froststar walked in. Froststar noticed this and ran over to him. "Oh Scarkit, I'm so happy that you are awake."

"Momma, why are you calling me Scarkit, and why did Flamekit call me Scarkit?" he lifted his head with strain.

"Y-you had a bad accident. You were badly hurt in the river. You had many deep scratches and cuts, and you were unconcious. When I found out that you're wounds may be scars, I renamed you, so that your name seems more warrior-like, even though you are a kit," Froststar explained, then went into another fit of coughs.

Clovertail took Froststar away from her kit. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked when she had stopped coughing.

"Of course. Ask me anything."

"Did Flower really bring catmint?" he asked.

There was a pause. Clovertail answered this one, though. "Yes, she did. She came into my den and began to explain what her clanmate had done. She said that she had snuck out, and this catmint was to make up for it."

"I see. If you see her at the next Gathering, tell her I say thank you," Scarkit meowed.

"Of course I will. Now rest, and we'll explain more things tomorrow when you awaken," Clovertail meowed.

Scarkit smiled. He placed his head back down onto his paws, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next day he woke up, and was permitted back to the nursery. Scarkit played like any normal kit, but he could feel the stares of the other Clan cats. One was especially strong. That stare came from Shadowstorm.

Near the end of that day, Scarkit walked over to the black-and-white she-cat. "Why do you stare at me differently than every other cat?" he asked.

"I feel pity, because I've been hurt really badly once," Shadowstorm told him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Well, when Wolfsky, Blueheart and I first came upon this territory, we were three loners called Wolf, Sapphire, and Shadow."

"You were loners?" Scarkit asked, surprised.

"Yes we were. Well anyways, we were looking for a good spot to hunt when my brother was attacked by a fox. He fought it, but the fox was too much for him. My sister soon joined in. I was the smallest, so they told me to hide. When they were both hurt to the point of unconsiousness, I finally realized that it was my turn to attack.

"I went after the fox. I attacked it with all my might. I did a lot of damage to the fox, but not enough. Before I was killed, a patrol saved me. I couldn't train for awhile, and when I was finally assigned a mentor, my first day was a tour from Skypaw, then Skykit. We were in the nursery when a cat came in and yowled that we were under attack." Shadowstorm finished, a smile on her face.

Scarkit was wide-eyed. "Wow! Tell me about the battle!"

"Maybe another time Scarkit, maybe another time." Shadowstorm smirked and walked away.

Scarkit flattened his ears. He had really wanted to hear the story. He gave a frown as he walked back to the nursery.

Inside, Flamekit was playing with Blueheart. Scarkit looked at the to-be queen. He just couldn't believe that she would be a fierce fighter. He smiled and curled up, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

_**Word count: 1,526. I have to say, that was harder than I expected. Oh well, I can still do this. How was it?**_


	2. Sinking

*****SPOILER ALERT FOR WOLFCLAN BOOK 2 IDK YET*****

**Sinking**

It was raining. Adderblaze was walking with his mate, Froststar. They were to go to the stream to see how bad it looked. As they walked, their pelts burshed together and their tail twined around the other's.

It had been raining for about five days. Last time the river had been checked, it was barely flooded over the bank, but now the rain has been coming harder and faster. If the river floods, that will mean something bad for WolfClan.

"Froststar, I think that this is a bad idea. The river must be too flooded by now. We haven't checked it in three days!" Adderblaze meowed.

"I know, but we have to check it. If it floods too much, it may eventually reach the camp," Froststar calmly told him.

"How could it reach camp? The river is too far away!" Adderblaze objected.

"It can still reach because the river is uphill from the camp. If it floods too much, all of the water will come downhill and to the camp," Froststar explained.

"That does not mean it will happen. We have never known the camp to be flooded."

"That does not mean it will not. Calm down and trust me Adderblaze." Froststar looked at her mate. "Besides, I am a bit worried."

"Worried about what?" Adderblaze asked his mate, genuine concern filling his eyes.

"About RougeClan." Her eyes dropped to the ground as Adderblaze let out a small gasp.

"Now, why would you say that?" he asked, looking at his mate with question.

"I say that because they let the kits run around their entire territory! They are _kits _Adderblaze." Froststar stopped walking and closed her eyes. "They do not need to be hurt."

Adderblaze stopped as well and licked his mate's cheek. "It will be fine. The kits are smart enough to know not to go too close to the river. Ours knew that, too. He was just forced."

"I hope the kits will be fine," Froststar whispered.

Adderblaze twitched his whiskers. His mate had been like this ever since their own kit was pushed into the river by a RougeClan cat. Scarkit, who was Sunkit at the time, suffered many wounds. The kit was given the burden of permanent scars.

Froststar continued to walk. Adderblaze followed his mate with concern. Suddenly, she stopped. "Froststar, what's wrong?" he quickly asked.

"I just heard a wail. Adderblaze, I think it was a kit!" She broke into a run, Adderblaze barely keeping up with her.

As they drew closer to the river, Adderblaze could begin to hear the cry as well. He picked up speed, but only because he knew a kit was in danger. He burst into the clearing where the river was. He looked at Froststar, and followed her horror-struck gaze. In the river was a small floating stick.

When he looked again, it wasn't a floating stick, but a kit. He watched Froststar tense up, ready to jump into the water to save the kit.

Time began to slow for Adderblaze. _I can't let her do it! She'll die! _Adderblaze quickly bunched his muscle and ran forward, leaping into the water.

"Adderblaze!" Froststar's voice rang in the clearing.

Adderblaze swam towards the brown bundle. He picked it up and did his best to hold it above the water. He swam towards the shore, but one of his back paws got stuck in the waterweeds. He struggled, but couldn't get free. "Froststar! Catch!" He tossed the kit towards his mate.

He watched his leader catch the kit. "Adderblaze!" she called to him.

Adderblaze looked lovingly at his mate. "I'm fine! Take the kit to camp!"

Froststar nodded to him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The rain was pounding on his head as the water began to rise.

He went under water and chewed at the waterweeds with his teeth. After too many heartbeats, he came back up. He had to tilt his head up to keep the water from reaching his mouth. Adderblaze took a deep breath and plunged back underwater.

He chewed at the waterweeds again. One broke, but there were still plenty more tangling his paw. He put his head up again. Even with his head tilted, the water was still lapping into his mouth. He took the best breath he could and chewed as fast and haard as he could at the leaves. To his luck, he broke free.

Adderblaze swam up as fast as he could. When he reached the surface, he took many intakes of air. He began to swim to the shore.

_The water is getting too high. I'm tired... I-I may not make it. _He shook his head as he swam faster, with more determination. _I will see my kits become warriors._

As he approached the shore, something hard suddenly struck him in the head. He fell underneath the water, the pain to much. He tried to move his legs, to keep swimming, but it was as if they were frozen.

_I must make it! _His mind screamed. He held his breath as he tried to move his body, but he just kept sinking...

sinking...

_sinking..._

Beofre he knew it, he had taken a breath of water. He could finally move, but he couldn't swim upwards. There was a force pulling him down, straight to the bottom of the usually shallow river.

_I hope they both become warriors._ He thought as he sank even further, losing all conciousness.

Adderblaze woke up, his breathing slow and harsh. Froststar and Breezefall looked down on him, pity shown in their eyes. He gave a small smile. "Hi."

"Adderblaze, I'm afraid we have some really bad news," Breezefall meowed with a frown.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Y-your lungs filled up with too much water when you sank underwater. Breezefall could not get all of it out. Y-you w-will die Adderblaze," Froststar looked away from her mate, but he could still see the tears.

"I'm going to die? No, no I can't die! I have to see my kits become warriors!" Adderblaze rose to his paws, but coughed up water as he did.

"Adderblaze calm yourself!" Breezefall meowed. "You'll only make it progress faster."

Adderblaze rounded on the medicine cat apprentice. "Oh, so now this is my fault!" he snapped.

"I never said that! Now, lie down this instent or I will get warriors in here to make you," he growled.

Adderblaze flattened his ears. He lay down and sighed. "How long?" he asked.

"How long until what?" Breezefall asked, anger still in his voice.

"How long until I die?"

"That depends. If you lie down all the time, you will live long enough to see Scarpaw and Flamepaw become warrior. If you continue warrior duties, you may or may not, it is unsure." Breezefall looked down. "I'm very sorry, Adderblaze. You will die within fifteen moons, fifteen being a miracle."

Froststar dropped down next to her mate. "Stay in my den, with me. You don't have to do anything, I promise! Then, you can see our kits become warriors." She was crying, and Adderblaze could tell that this was not the first time.

"I will see my kits become warriors. I guess I have no choice but to stay in your den Froststar," he meowed quietly.

Froststar licked her mate's cheek. "Come, I'll help you."

Adderblaze struggled to stand up. He coughed up more water, and sighed. "I will never drink water again."

"Do not say that. Now come on." Froststar quickly led Adderblaze to her den. He could feel the stares of his clanmates as he disappeared into the leader's den.

"You may take my nest. I will be making a new one. I'll also get some moss for you to cough on when you cough up water." Froststar left the den before he could reply.

Adderblaze sighed. A cat walked in, and Adderblaze looked up to see Shadowstorm. "Hello," he greeted.

"Adderblaze, I know what's wrong with you, and I may be able to help," she quickly told the tom, confidence gleeming in her eyes.

"How?" he asked.

"I learned a lot as a loner. I talked to Clovertail and Breezefall. They gave me permission to try, but I can't guarantee anything." At the last part, Shadowstorm lowered her eyes.

"Try anything," he pleaded. "I want to live."

"I will. I have to scout the territory. When I'm done, I will do everything I can. Hopefully, it will work." Shadowstorm looked up at Adderblaze's pleading eyes. "I will be back as fast as I can."

She dashed out of the den. Adderblaze smiled. "Thank you, Shadowstorm. You would make a great leader," he whispered.

Froststar walked back into the den just as Adderblaze fell asleep, a smile on his face.

Fourteen moons later, Adderblaze was walking to the Gathering with Froststar and the other chosen cats, Shadowstorm being one. The warrior caught up to him and looked with a smile. "How do you feel?" she asked.

Shadowstorm had been treating the deputy for the past fourteen moons. His condition was getting better, and they hoped that he would eventually get better.

"I feel fine," replied the tom. "I'm glad that I get to see my two kits become warriors."

"I'm glad that I could give that to you." She paused. "Adderblaze, there is this cat I meet as a kit. He was young, but very wise. As a kit, he went through the same thing as you. He treated himself. If I can find him, maybe we can cure you."

"Why didn't you think about that earlier!" snapped Adderblaze.

Shadowstorm flattened her ears. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about it until now. I remember the way there. I can bring Wildpaw with me. This will be good experience for him. I can take Wolfsky and Heavypaw, too. Blueheart would want to stay, knowing how she is."

Adderblaze sighed. "If you think it will work, than I agree. I'll talk to Froststar after the Gathering."

"Thank you. I promise I won't let you down."

_**AN: **__1,672 words. Yay!_


	3. Father

***~*SPOILER ALERT FOR WOLFCLAN BOOK 3*~***

**Father**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me here beneath the Caveledge for a Clan meeting." The call rang around the the camp.

Wildstrike stepped out of the warriors den. He saw Froststar, the leader. Next to her was Thornshadow.

"Thornshadow has an annoucement that he thinks everyone should know." Froststar nodded to the warrior.

"I-I have a confession. It's not an easy one, and you all may hate me for it. I've thought of this for a long time, and so has Roseleaf and Hawktalon. I am Wildstrike and Heavypelt's father, not Hawktalon." Thornshadow lowered his head.

Wildstrike widened his eyes as the words rang in his head. _Thornshadow is my father. _When Wildstrike was still a 'paw, Thornshadow had always tried to mentor him, even though his mentor was Shadowstorm.

He looked at his brother, Heavypelt. The large tom looked equally shocked.

"I know this is late said, and I apologize for this. Roseleaf, Hawktalon, and I are all sorry for keeping this from you all." Thornshadow looked at Froststar.

"Well, thank you for sharing this with us. I see that this was very important indeed. Thank you Thornshadow. Clan dismissed!"

Thornshadow jumped down from the Caveledge and glanced at Wildstrike. He smiled, but Wildstrike looked away.

"Wildstr-"

"No. I don't want to hear it," Wildstrike growled as he turned on the warrior, no, his father. "You lied to me. Hawktalon lied to me. MY MOTHER LIED TO ME."

"Calm down, son."

"No, don't say that! You don't deserve to be my father. You lied to the entire Clan for tihs long and _now _you decide to say something? You could have trusted Heavypelt and I with this!" Wildstrike snapped.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"You don't deserve my forgiveness, _father."_ Wildstrike spat the last word. "Stay away from me."

Wildstrike stomped out of camp, aware of his mother, father, and brother watching him.

Wildstrike found a tall tree and quickly climbed up, away from the sight of others. He could hear a voice calling his name.

He growled and started to claw at the branch he was clinging to, bark flying everywhere. "He lied to me," he growled. "They all lied to me, all of them except for my brother."

Wildstrike stopped and moved to another branch, realizing that he had scratched all of the bark off of that one. He began to claw at that one. He could still hear his name being called. At this point he was able to recognize the yowl of his 'father' Hawktalon.

"Wildstrike! Wildstrike I know you're out here!" his voice yowled.

Wildstrike rolled his eyes and began to jump to different trees. He went all the way to the edge of the territory and looked out. It was moor beyond the forest he called his home. He set his head down on his paws and closed his eyes.

When Wildstrike woke up, he found himself in the medicine cat den. He blinked sleepily. "Wha-?"

"Hush Wildstrike," meowed a voice. Breezefall stepped out and looked at Wildstrike. "You fell out of that tree you decided to sleep in. You fell on plenty of leaves, so you're not too badly injured."

Wildstrike growled. "I should have been left there."

"No, should not have." Breezefall sighed. "You are still a great warrior in everyone's eyes. Who your parents are doesn't make who you are."

"Whatever," mumbled the warrior.

Breezefall sighed once more. "Wildstrike, did you know that my father is a kittypet?"

Wildstrike looked at the medicine cat. "Really?"

"Yes. That made me feel awful. I was a forbidden kit, and you know what? The Clan still loved me. They didn't look at me any differently." Breezefall touched his tail to the warrior's shoulder. "There is no need to feel ashamed. You are still a Clan cat, and that is all that should matter."

"Thanks Breezefall." Wildstrike stood up, wincing as his front right paw pushed against the ground. "When do I go back to my warrior duties?"

"When you stop limping. I've already talked to Froststar and Adderblaze about it." Breezefall sighed. He disappeared into the back on the den. "You are dismissed to the warriors' den."

Wildstrike lashed his tail happily as he left. He headed out of the medicine cat's den and towards the camp entrance. As he was about to leave the camp, he bumped into a cat.

"Watch where you-" Wildstrike looked up to see his father, his birth father, looking down at him.

"Wildstrike, we still need to talk about this." Thornshadow looked hopefully down at Wildstrike.

"Fine. Follow me." Wildstrike lashed his tail as the two headed out. Wildstrike led him to a claering that had little prey. When he stopped, he also stopped lashing his tail. The younger warrior sat down and sighed.

"Wildstrike, this was a hard decision for your mother and I to make, not letting you know who your real father was," started Thornshadow.

"Why couldn't you?" Wildstrike asked.

"We didn't because we weren't sure if you needed to know." Thornshadow sighed. "Anyways, at the time Roseleaf was mates with Hawktalon and I was mates with a she-cat named Greycloud. Roseleaf and I became mates before we weren't mates anymore with our current mates."

"Wait, so you were mates with a different she-cat but you still had kits with Roseleaf?" Wildstrike turned away from Thornshadow. "Disgusting!"

"I know, and I am ashamed. I never meant for that to happen. A battle with NightClan happened a few weeks later, killing Greycloud and injuring Hawktalon very badly. Roseleaf and I hoped that he would never find out. We were wrong.

"When he found out I thought he was going to kill me. He just sighed and told me, 'I forgive you, but only because I don't love Roseleaf anymore anyways.' Roseleaf and I were shocked. She and Hawktalon argued for a very long time." Thornshadow stopped.

"Is there anymore?" Wildstrike prompted.

The black warrior nodded. "Hawktalon eventually agreed not to tell. I was happy about that. Roseleaf wasn't sure that he would keep the promise until he swore to StarClan. We agreed never to talk about it."

"Then you decided that it was time the Clan knew." Wildstrike had an edge to his meow.

"There is a reason for that." Thornshadow sighed. "Roseleaf is pregnant. She's going to have my kits."

Wildstrike looked back at Thornshadow. "Th-that's great, I suppose. I've always wanted to have a little sister." He gave a tiny grin, the best he could do.

Thornshadow sighed with relief. "Thank you, Wildstrike. I hope they turn out as great as you and Heavypelt did."

"Speaking of Heavypelt, have you seen him all day?" asked Wildstrike.

"Not since I annouced to the Clan that I was his and your father." Thornshadow twitched his whiskers. "We should look for him."

"We should," agreed Wildstrike. He sniffed the air and ran past his father and into the forest.

He headed to camp first. He found Adderblaze and ran over. "Have you seen Heavypelt?"

"No, I haven't. Are you looking for him?" asked the deputy.

Wildstrike nodded. "I haven't seen him since this morning. Thornshadow and I are looking for him. If you see him come find me."

Before the ginger tom could reply, Wildstrike left camp. "Heavypelt!" he yowled. "Heavypelt!"

"Wildstrike help!" yowled a voice.

"Heavypelt!" Wildstrike knew his brother's voice by heart. "I'm coming!" He ran as fast as he could towards the direction of the yowl. He knew it to be from the direction of the Great Oak. As he drew nearer he could hear hissing and growling.

Wildstrike burst from the bushes to a sight that made his anger bubble over the brim. Heavypelt was fighting seven NightClan cats. Wildstrike's eyes widened. He ran forward, knocking over two of the larger cats. Three of them turned on him, all three twice his size. Wildstrike hissed as he unsheathed his claws and scratched the muzzle of the middle one.

Wildstrike reared up on his hind legs and clawed the air. His claws tore through the faces of the cats. One of the cats ran forward and tackled Wildstrike. The force of the blow threw him off of his paws. The cat who had tackled Wildstrike pinned him down as the other two tore at his pelt.

From the bushes Wildstrike heard a yowl. A black blur passed by, leaving trails of blood on the pelts of the attackers. As he got a closer look, he saw that the cats had been scratched. Wildstrike struggled harder, hoping that the black cat would distract the attackers long enough for his escape. He was right.

Wildstrike escaped and looked at the black cat. _Thornshadow! _He was never so happy to see the black tom that was his father.

"Wildstrike! Get to camp! Hurry!" Thornshadow glanced at his son as he battled with three cats.

Wildstrike nodded andd left with a hurry. He felt that he hadn't ran faster in his life. He ran into camp and straight to Adderblaze. "Adderblaze, attack at the Great Oak! Heavypelt and Thornshadow are outnumbered. We need help now!"

Adderblaze nodded. "Get a few apprentices," he told him as he ran into the warriors' den.

Wildstrike ran for the apprentices' den and peaked inside. "Moonpaw, you're on an emergency battle patrol," he told the apprentice.

"Coming!" The apprentice passed him with a happy yowl.

Wildstrike came out. "Hurry Adderblaze! I'll go ahead!" yowled Wildstrike to Adderblaze.

He ran out of camp and towards the Great Oak. He burst through the bushes to see that more cats had arrived. There were now twelve of them. He tackled a cat and pinned it, clawing its belly.

When the battle patrol arrived, the NightClan cats scattered and left. Heavypelt was still standing, breathing heavily with many wounds. Thornshadow, however, was on the ground with a very large gash down his side. Wildstrike ran over and knelt besides the wounded tom. "Thornshadow, Thornshadow are you okay?"

The black tom opened his eyes. "No, I have very large wound on my side." He smiled and started to laugh lightly, only to cough up blood. Wildstrike looked at Adderblaze. "We need to get Thornshadow to Breezefall right now!"

Adderblaze nodded. "Shadowstorm, Wolfsky, and Wildstrike, carry Thornshadow to Breezefall. Moonpaw and I will help Heavypelt." The cats scattered to where they were directed.

Shadowstorm, Wolfsky, and Wildstrike lifted Thornshadow up. They quickly but carefully carried the tom to the medicine cats' den. Wildstrike waited outside while Breezefall worked on the cat.

As Wildstrike waited, cats kept asking him what had happened. He ignored all of them.

Breezefall came out of the den. "You may see him. I've done all I could, but I don't know what will happen. He's in the paws of StarClan now."

Wildstrike nodded in understanding. "Can I see him?"

"Go right ahead." Breezefall stepped aside.

Wildstrike dipped his head and walked into the den. He saw the limp body of Thornshadow lying down on moss. He padded over and knelt next to the cat. "Thornshadow, can you hear me?"

"No, I've gone deaf," meowed Thornshadow sarcastically.

"Even on the brink of death you still have your sense of humor." Wildstrike sighed. "Do you think you'll be okay?"

"I will. I can hear StarClan calling my name. I'm sorry Wildstrike, but it's my time now." Thornshadow gave a small smile. "Goodbye Wildstrike. Take care of your mother for me." Thornshadow closed his eyes.

Wildstrike watched in horror as Thornshadow's breathing stopped. "No... No Thornshadow you can't leave me. N-no. I can accept you now. Please! I'll even call you father. Father, I love you, don't go." Wildstrike's eyes began to cry.

"FATHER!"

_**AN- **__1,954 words. I'm doing better and better._


	4. Exploit

**Exploit**

Dashthief growled as he clawed at the black-and-white she-cat. He felt claws rake down his muzzle. He hissed.

"You killed Roseleaf's daughter!" she snapped.

"You don't understand what murder is," growled Dashthief as a memory came to his mind.

_Dashlight stared down at the bloody body of his mate and three of his four kits. WaterClan had invaded the camp and tried to steal all of the kits. They hadn't succeeded, but managed to kill the only queen and three of her kits. The queen was Lightheart, his mate._

_"No, no no no. No, this can't be happening. No." He kept repeating the words, trying to make the blood go away, to make the death go away. He knew they were dead, though, for there was a large stench of death in the air. "Lightheart, Emberkit, Dewkit, Redkit, please don't be dead. Please," he begged._

_The kit that was alive pawed at his leg. He looked down, seeing his daughter, the one they had left alive. "Heartkit, are you okay?"_

_The kit nodded. "I'm fine, but are you?"_

_He gave a weak smile. "Of course I am. Come on, let's get out of this stinky nursery." He ripped his eyes away from Lightheart's limp body and followed his kit outside._

_Immediately Heronstar ran over. "How is everyone else?"_

_"Dead. The only one still alive is Heartkit." His voice was angry now, not the sad kind of mourning but instead anger. Anger that his mate and kits were dead. Anger that WaterClan had attacked without warning._

_Heronstar comfortingly set her tail on Dashlight's shoulder. "I am so sorry Dashlight. Lightheart was a great warrior and even better mother."_

_Dashlight growled and snapped at his leader. "I don't want your pity! I want my mate back." He turned away and stomped out of camp, hearing his daughter yowl out, "Come back daddy!"_

_When he got out of the entrance he ran towards the Old Maple, the place where he and Lightheart had made their love official._

"You don't understand what love is!" yowled the she-cat, snapping him out of his flash-back.

"I don't? I had a mate, and kits! What do you have? Siblings! That's it! That's not love, that's force! A she-cat trying to tell me what love is." Dashlight leaped on the cat.

She pushed him off with her hind legs. "I'm not just a she-cat! I'm Shadowstorm, a _loyal _warrior of my Clan!"

Dashlight paused suddenly, the first part of her name, 'Shadow', bringing back another memory.

_"Shadowkit, you have reashed the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be Cranetail. I hope Cranetail will pass down all he knows to you._

_"Cranetail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from me, and you have shown yourself to be a great warrior. You will be the mentor of Shadowpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Shadowpaw." Heronstar nodded to the apprentice as Shadowpaw and Cranetail touched noses._

_Dashlight watched with awe, his own apprentice next to him. Heartpaw's tail swished back and forth. She looked to her father and quickly whispered in his ear, "Can we take them around the territory? Please?"_

_"Only if Cranetail is okay with it." Dashlight flicked his tail, a gesture for the warrior to come over to him with his new apprentice._

_"Did you want me?" asked the new mentor._

_"Yes. Heartpaw thought that it would be a good idea to go with you to show Shadowpaw the territory," Dashlight told him._

_"That's a great idea!" Shadowpaw exclaimed, his ears flicking with excitement._

_Cranetail looked at his apprentice with agreement. "Well, everyone seems to be okay with idea."_

_"Great!" Heartpaw ran over to Shadowpaw. "You'll love the territory! It's huge!"_

_"I bet!" Shadowpaw looked at Cranetail. "Are we going yet?"_

_"Of course," Dashlight answered for him. "Let's go Cranetail." He headed out of the camp and towards the EarthClan border first._

_"This is the EarthClan border. Take in the scents Shadowpaw," Cranetail instructed._

_Dashlight looked at Heartpaw. "This is good review. You do the same."_

_Heartpaw nodded and walked in a circle, takng in the scents. "I smell EarthClan cats, a group of them coming this way!"_

_Dashlight's eyes widened. "Into the bushes."_

_Shadowpaw jumped into the bushes along with Heartpaw. Cranetail crouched behind them. He flattened his ears. "Border patrol. Let's hurry and leave."_

_Shadowpaw ran away, Heartpaw rght behnd him. Dashlight chuckled and followed them. Cranetail followed._

_"Heartpaw, are EarthClan cats scary?" Dashlight heard Shadowpaw ask._

_"No. They are really strong looking. Much bigger than we are," Heartpaw's voice replied._

_"Well, I wouldn't want to take any chances," Shadowpaw meowed._

_"Don't worry, I'll protect you," assured the she-cat apprentice._

_Dashlight flattened his ears. He knew those conversations. He stepped out into the open. "Let's check out the WaterClan border."_

_"I'll lead," Cranetail meowed as he emerged from the bushes._

_"Got it." Dashlight followed the tom to where the WaterClan border was. He sniffed the air. It was clear of any cats besides themselves. "Go look," he instructed the apprentices._

_Shadowpaw nodded and peaked out of the bushes. After awhile his tail stiffened. Heartpaw's head cocked to the side as she peaked out. Just like Shadowpaw, her tail stiffened. "D-Dad?" Her voice was stuttering._

_"Yes?"_

_"We found some WaterClan cats. They want to know why we're on their territory," Heartpaw told him._

_Dashlight's whiskers twitched. He ran out of the bushes and saw a patrol of three cats. "Hello," greeted Dashlight calmly._

_"Dashlight, greetings." The tabby tom meowed._

_"Tawnyclaw, may I ask why you are accusing these apprentices of being on your territory? They are behind the scent markers." Dashlight peered at the tabby._

_"The scent markers have been moved. This is now part of our territory," the white she-cat meowed._

_"FireClan never agreed to this!" Dashlight's fur bristled. "You can't to this without Heronstar's consent!"_

_"Oh, but we did." The white she-cat smirked. "And I, Whitecloud, will make sure it stays like that." Whitecloud pounced._

_Dashlight tensed, but she didn't poune on him, but on Shadowpaw. She immediately began to tear at his pelt. He ran forward to attack Whitecloud, but was intercepted by Tawnyclaw. Dashlight wrestled with the tom._

_Around him, he could hear Heartpaw and Shadowpaw fighting Whitecloud and Cranetail attacking Sharp-paw. The noises of the growling and hissing cats was too much for Dashlight, and it distracted him as he battled for Tawnyclaw to unpin him._

_He raked his claws down Tawnyclaw's face, making the tom yowl. The sound was loud, but Dashlight soon realized that it wasn't Tawnyclaw's._

_Dashlight shot upwards and turned towards the apprentices. Shadowpaw was unmoving on the ground, blood gushing from his throat. Whitecloud's white fur was stained with blood. Heartpaw was staring at Shadowpaw, her eyes wide._

_"Y-y-you k-killed Sh-shadowpaw!" Heartpaw's voice was filled with despair. "H-he j-j-just b-became an a-a-aprentice t-today." Her stuttering was getting worse. _

_"I did, and I'll kill you all to make sure we keep this territory." Whitecloud smirked. Her tail flicked and the cats ran away._

_Dashlight turned to Cranetail. The warrior was luckily unscathed, but his fur was still bristling and his eyes wide with fear. "Shadowpaw!"_

_Dashlight blinked and ran over to the unmoving apprentice. Heartpaw was licking his fur clean. Dashlight sniffed the body. "H-he's dead."_

_A wail came from both Heartpaw and Cranetail. The despair in the yowls made Dashlight wince. He stared at the body for a long time. At one point he thought he'd seen the body move, but he knew it was just his imagination._

_"Goodbye Shadowpaw."_

Dashthief stared at Shadowstorm, his memory clouding his mind. The she-cat crouched, her tail lashing back and forth. "What are you waiting for?" she taunted.

Dashthief shook his head, finally remembering where he was. He sighed. "Sorry, but you just remind me of someone I knew."

Shadowstorm's ears went back. "Who?"

"An apprentice in my old Clan, FireClan. His name was Shadowpaw." Dashthief didn't know why he was telling her this, but he just felt he should.

"Did you kill him, too?" she hissed.

"No... No. WaterClan did. They killed him for a part of territory." Dashthief's eyes were blank. "So many lives were lost because of WaterClan."

Shadowstorm hissed. "Stop trying to make me feel sympathetic!"

"I-I'm not. I'm just having... a lot of flashbacks." Dashthief sighed.

Shadowstorm leaped on him and raked at his belly. He didn't feel anything, just the hazy feeling of another flashback.

_Dashlight watched his apprentice as she stepped forward. Heronstar had just called a Clan meeting. It was Heartpaw's warrior ceremony. His daughter's fur was clean, shining brighter than he'd ever seen. There was a gleam in her eyes, and he new she was excited._

_Dashlight stood behind her as Heronstar looked down at them. She jumped down and faced Dashlight. "Dashlight, is Heartpaw ready to become a warrior."_

_Dashlight nodded. "Yes. She has trained hard and I am sure that she is ready."_

_"Very well. I, Heronstar, leader of FireClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn._

_"Heartpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Heronstar looked at her expectantly._

_"I do." Heartpaw's voice didn't stutter._

_"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Heartpaw, from this moment you will be known as Heartsoul. StarClan honors your loyalty and warmth, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Fireclan." Heronstar placed her muzzle on Heartsoul's head, in which the new warrior proceeded to lick the leader's shoulder._

_"Heartsoul! Heartsoul!" the Clan cheered._

_Dashlight ran over to his daughter. "Great job! I'm so proud of you. Now, I've told you this once or twice before, but you have to get ready for your vigil. You must guard camp alone without speaking or falling asleep."_

_Heartsoul nodded in understanding. Her whisers twitched in excitement._

_"I'll make you a nest in the den. Go sit your vigil." Dashlight turned away from his daughter and found Berryfoot. "I need some moss for Heartsoul's nest."_

_The medicine cat came out of the storage part of his den and brought out moss and feathers. "Here are some feathers, too. Heartsoul will need them. She'll need to be comfortable after her vigil."_

_Dashlight too the moss and feathers. "Thank you." He left the den and headed towards the warriors' den. He quickly made a nest for Heartsoul. He left for his nest and fell asleep._

When the flackback was over, no time had passed. Dashthief could feel the pain in his belly now. He screeched and threw Shadowstorm off of him. He knew that she was about to pounce again, and rolled at the last second to avoid the attack. He turned on her with a growl.

"'Nother flashback?" she asked.

Dashthief just nodded.

Shadowstorm flattened her ears. "Are you done yet?"

Dashthief shrugged. He growled and tackled the warrior. He bit into her throat, knowing that he missed the main vein. As he bit harder into her throat, he knew another flashback was coming.

_Dashlight clawed at the cat in front of him. He pounced and raked its belly, then ran closer into camp. Heartsoul was in there, expecting kits very soon. She may have already started giving birth._

_He fought his way through the crowd of cats before finding the nursery. He could smell blood, and knew it was hers. He burst inside and found relief that Heartsoul was just giving birth. "Berryfoot I-"_

_The cat turned towards him with an evil grin. "Whitecloud?"_

_Whitecloud smirked. "Your little daughter is giving birth. Too bad Berryfoot is dead."_

_Dashlight's eyes widened. He bunched up his muscles and pounced. He clawed the she-cat's belly, ignoring every yowl of pain that came from her. He remembered the murder of his mate, his kits, Shadowpaw, and now, Berryfoot. He kept raking his claws down her belly._

_When he stopped, for good measures he bit Whitecloud's throat. He bit down until her throat burst and blood splattered his face._

_He turned to Heartsoul. "Okay, you need to push."_

_She growled. "I am!" Ripples of pain went through her body as a it slid out. Dashlight quicly grabbed the kit and licked it backwards. He checked the kit before setting it next to Heartsoul's belly. "It's a tom!" he announced._

_More ripples went through Heartsoul. Dashlight stayed with Heartsoul as she gave birth to two more toms. He dragged Whitecloud outside to find that the battle was still going on. Heronstar was facing Tawnystar. It was just them, face-to-face. Dashlight dropped the white WaterClan cat's body to watch._

_Tawnystar jumped at Heronstar. The she-cat ducked and turned around faster than Dashlight could follow. She pounced and landed on Tawnystar. Her jaws clamped on his throat as he bit down. Suddenly, three WaterClan cats leaped out and landed on Heronstar. The four cats attacked the leader._

_Dashlight's eyes widened as he ran forward and tackled the cats away, but it was too late. His leader lay on the ground, lifeless. He gave a yowl of despair and threw himself at Tawnystar. His claws dug into the leader's side so far that his paw was half-way inside his body. He shot his paw all the way across Tawnystar's side._

_The WaterClan leader fell to the ground, bleeding out. Dashlight knew he was to lose a life. He urned on the other three cats. He pouned on the closest one and clamped down on its throat. He did the same to the other two cats. He stood in the middle of dead cats, his eyes turning red and blood pooling around him._

_Tawnystar had lost all of his lives at once, and Heronstar lost her last life. He killed three WaterClan warriors, not including Whitecloud. Berryfoot was murdered. No other cats had died._

_Tawnystar's deputy was one of the cats he had killed. The WaterClan cats stared at him with disbelief._

_"D-dad?" a voice meowed._

_Dashlight looked up. He saw his daughter looked at him, fear in her eyes. "Heartsoul, isn't not what you think. These cats attacked and killed Heronstar."_

_"What about Whitecloud?" she asked._

_"She killed Berryfoot and Shadowpaw." His voice was filling with despair. "Don't you remember?"_

_"Of course, but that doesn't mean you had to kill them. You may think what you did was an exploit, but it wasn't. It was killing." Heartsoul was crying now. "I-I don't want to see you, ever again. Don't talk to me or my kits." She turned towards the nursery, her eyes full of tears._

_Dashlight stepped forward, but was intercepted by Cranetail. "You stole lives today. Y-you, out of all cats."_

_"Cranetail I-"_

_"No Dashlight," meowed Blackface. "You-you're exiled!"_

_"No! You can't do this to me! This is my home. My kit and grandkits live here!" Dashlight was desperate now._

_"No. For the lives you stole, you are now Dashthief, and rogue. Now leave by sunset, or we'll kill you." Blackface was serious. Dashthief sighed and flattened his ears. He left the camp._

Shadowstorm had kicked him off during his flashback. Her claws were tearing him to shreds. He welcomed it.

When she got off of him, he knew he was dying. "Cats of the Clans! I haved killed Dashthief! There is to be no more fighting. This has been an exploit."

And as Dashthief blacked out, the word echoed in his head.

_Exploit._

_Exploit.._

_Exploit..._

_**AN: **__2,633 words_


	5. Boredom

**Boredom**

"Mommy I'm bored!"

A black-and-ginger she-cat looked down at her only kit in surprise. "I thought you were napping."

"I'm not tired," mewled the kit. "I'm bored. Will you play with me?"

"I suppose. Get some moss from Stripe," the queen told her black kit.

"Okay Zoroa!" The kit jumped up and bounced out of the nursery.

"Dusk, ask nicely!" she called after the kit. Zoroa waited for her kit to come back. Her tail twitched as her it came in, loudly meowing.

"I'm gonna play with you now Mommy, and we'll have a lot of fun together," Dusk was meowing, mostly to himself. "Then I won't be bored anymore and it'll be great!"

Zoroa smiled and rolled her eyes. "Dusk, quiet down."

The black kit flattened his ears. He set the moss down and rolled it into a ball. He tossed the ball at his mother.

Zoroa batted the ball back to her kit. As she batted the ball, she noticed that her kit still looked bored. "Dusk, are you still bored?"

Dusk lowered his eyes. "Yes."

"Well, we need to change that." Zoroa laughed as she stood up. "Follow me."

She stepped outside, feeling warmth and sun hit her fur. She made a silent prayer to StarClan for the beautiful weather. She looked down at her kit before walking towards the apprentices' den. She peeked inside and saw Berry, the only apprentice. "Where's your mentor?"

"He gave me the day off for working so hard," Berry explained.

"Do you want to play with Dusk?" she asked.

"Sure. I'll teach him to stalk!" Berry dashed out of the den and almost tripped over the tiny kit. "Come on Dusk, let's play!"

"Yay!" Dusk jumped onto Berry's back and climbed his way onto his head. "Look at me, I'm Ringtail!"

Berry gave a laugh, so Zoroa left.

Dusk slid down the cream-colored tom's back, catching his back paw on Berry's yellow collar. "Berry! I'm stuck. Help me!"

Berry crouched down and rolled onto his side. "Climb out. You can practice as if it were vines."

Dusk mewled and slid out of the collar. He turned towards the apprentice. "How come your collar is yellow and mine is blue?"

"Well, collars are chosen by which the mother and father agrees on. Since your father does not live in a Clan, your mother chose for you." Berry licked the kit's head.

Dusk laughed. "Your tongue tickles." He sighed. "I'm still bored!" he complained.

"What do you want to do?" he asked the kit.

Dusk shrugged. "Let's go ask the elders for a story! I bet Blue has a great story about that scary Dashthief."

Berry grinned. "If you want a story about Dashthief I can tell you. I was a kit when he still reined over DashClan, then called RougeClan."

"Was the Clan named after Dashthief?" he asked.

"Yes. You see, Dashthief came from a Clan a long way aways. His Clan was called FireClan. When he was there he was called Dashlight.

"He slowly became broken inside as WaterClan began to ruin his life. A surprise attack from WaterClan killed his mate and three of his four kits. His only kit still alive was Heartkit, who later became his apprentice, Heartpaw. Later on, one of his friend's apprentices was killed by a WaterClan warrior on that apprentice's first day out. Moons later, his leader was killed, so he murdered four warriors and their leader, who still had all his nine lives left."

Dusk's eyes widened. "He killed a leader nine times? Woah!"

Berry nodded. "He did. FireClan's deputy exiled him, but not before renaming him Dashthief for stealing the lives of those innocent cats."

"Wow. He sounds scary. Before you continue, what did he looked like?"

"Dashthief was a smoky grey tabby. If you looked closely you would also be able to see dark-grey markings. He had piercing amber eyes, practically blood-red. He had many notches in his ears. His collar, since he was a leader, was black with spikes sticking out of it. It's rumored that his twoleg gave him that collar." Berry licked his paw. "He was broad-shouldered and very strong.

"He even looked scary, right?" Dusk asked.

"Yes. When he was exiled, he was a lost cat. A rouge. He knew that he had to live somewhere, but the only place he knew of was with a twoleg, so that is what he did. He found a twoleg and lived with it. The twoleg gave him his collar, which made him feel fierce.

"Yet, one day his twoleg left, leaving him alone. The entire nest was also empty, so he left. Dashthief travelled for days, searching for a forest that would suite him. Along the way, he kept meeting cats and soon devised a plan. He was told of another Clan, far far away from his old Clan, that lived in a forest. He led the cats to the forest and had them attack the Clan without warning. He-"

"Was that WolfClan?" Dusk quickly asked, interrupting Berry's story.

"Yes, is was WolfClan. He wasn't in the fight though." Berry paused to give his paw another lick. "In fact, he was actually on the other side of the territory with an elder named Amber, a queen named Smoky, and me, still a very young kit. It was actually I who found this camp, stumbling upon it by accident."

"Skip his horrible plan. How did he die? Who killed him?" Dusk's tail was twitching.

"Well, Dashthief had finally decided to attack WolfClan, and get rid of them forever. During the battle he killed cats. It wasn't until Shadowstorm, a brave she-cat, attacked him and eventually killed him that RougeClan was finally free. She convinced her leader to let us stay under a few conditions. One, that we changed our Clan name and two, that we lived in peace, always remembering what Dashthief had done. Our Clanmates all agreed with Shadowstorm.

"When they got back to camp, the entire Clan had a big discussion. It was decided that the Clan would be renamed DashClan, in honor of the Clan's first leader and the tom who brought them all together." Berry concluded his story with a sigh.

"Evil or not, I want to meet Dashthief. I'm so bored I wouldn't care if he appeared right now!" Dusk complained.

Berry rolled his eyes. "He would kill you," mumbled the apprentice.

"What?" Dusk asked.

"Oh, nothing." Berry chuckled. "Why don't you go take a nap. When you have more energy we can play some more later."

"Okay!" Dusk bounded to the nursery and found his mother already asleep. He smiled and silently padded over to the nest and curled up by her belly.

_Dusk sat at the edge of a dark forest. He looked up at the night-time sky. It was starless. "Where are the stars?" he asked himself._

_"We don't have stars here," a voice meowed._

_Dusk jumped, his fur bristling. He looked at the dark trees and saw a pair of glowing blood-red eyes. "Who are you?"_

_"I will tell you, in good time." The cat finally stepped out, revealing a tabby tom with a collar, obviously of DashClan descent. "Come with me."_

_The tom disappeared into the trees. Dusk tilted his head, then followed. He had trouble seeing through the dark fog. As he walked, he could tell that the fog was beginning to lift._

_"Hurry," the tabby's voice commanded. "You will be gone before we talk."_

_"I'm coming, hold your fur on!" Dusk sighed. Who was this cat anyways?_

_"Don't snap at me." The tabby's voice was getting angry. "Now hurry up. We're almost there."_

_Dusk sped up and tripped into a clearing where the tom had stopped. "What are we doing?"_

_The tabby ignored him, but instead asked his own question. "Do you want to be a great apprentice and even greater warrior?"_

_"Yes!" Dusk's ears perked up._

_"Do you want to be deputy one day, and then leader?" he asked._

_"Yes and yes!" Dusk's whiskers were twitched with excitement._

_"Well, I am your new mentor. I will teach you how to be a great fighter and hunter. You will be the best leader that DashClan will ever have." The tabby narrowed his eyes. "Now, watch me and try to copy my actions." The tabby crouched, giving a perfect hunter's crouch._

_"Wow," whispered Dusk. Her crouched, hoping that he was doing it right._

_The tabby came over to him and adjusted his legs and tail, then smiled. "Perfect. Now, I'm going to pretend that I'm a mouse. Try to catch me." The tom scuttled around like a mouse, pausing to sniff the ground._

_Dusk stepped forward lightly, keeping his steps light. He bunched up his muscles and pouned, but the tabby moved out of the way. Dusk plopped on the ground, lifting up dust. He stood up and shook his fur._

_"What did I do wrong?" he asked._

_"I could scent you. You need to stay downwind of your prey. You will never catch anything like this!" The tabby smacked Dusk's head with his paw._

_Dusk flailed over, then stood back up. He gave a fake growl and dropped into a crouch and immediately pounced on the tabby._

_They rolled over the ground, tumbling round and round. The tabby pushed him away and turned on him with a growl. "What were you doing?"_

_"Catching my prey by surprise?" he suggested._

_The tabby smiled and stiffling a laugh. "Good job, I suppose. You'll be leaving soon, so make sure you work on your crouch. I'll meet you tomorrow night."_

_"Wait!" Dusk meowed. "What's your name?"_

_The tabby turned to him with a smirk. "Dashthief."_

_**AN: **__1,614 words. Also, for now on I will add a description of all the cats mentioned at the bottom._

_Dusk- black tom with a dark grey chest, amber eyes and white collar_

_Zoroa- black she-cat with ginger patterns like the Pokemon Zoroa, amber eyes and red collar_

_Stripe- white tom with one black stripe, blue eyes, and blue collar_

_Berry- cream-colored tom with white paws, yellow eyes, and yellow collar_

_Ringtail- white tom with black rings on tail, green eyes, and orange collar_

_Blue- grey-blue she-cat with yellow eyes and blue collar_

_Dashthief- dark-grey tabby tom with amber eyes and black spiked colalr_


	6. Art of Conversation

**Art Of Conversation**

Flamesong licked her kit desperately. "Come on Antkit. Tell me something. Please!"

Antkit was her only kit, and was not talking yet. He was four moons old, and hadn't meowed a word yet. Flamesong's worry was over the den.

Antkit stared blankly at his mother.

Flamesong sighed. "Repeat after me. My name is Antkit."

Antkit just stared at his mother. He wasn't mute, but he just didn't seem to want to meow or anything. He had mewled and squeaked plenty as a kit.

A tear welled up in the queen's eyes. "Are you hungry?" she asked him.

Antkit nodded. His whiskers twitched.

"What do you want?" Flamesong asked, hoping for an answer today.

Antkit shrugged and padded outside. Flamesong sighed in defeat and stepped outside.

Antkit had already grabbed a squirrel and dragged it over to his mother. He took a bite, his mouth full of prey fur, and looked at his mother.

"Is it good?" she asked him.

Antkit nodded.

"Good." Flamesong took her own bite. She chewed as she stared at Antkit. The ginger-and-black kit was staring at an ant that was going towards the squirrel. The kit unsheathed one claw and carefully picked up the insect. He stared at it before setting it back down. He gave a shrewd smile and began to eat more of the squirrel.

Flamesong and Antkit finished the squirrel and headed back into the nursery. She sighed and looked at her son. "Antkit, when you become an apprentice you will have to talk. You can't be silent forever!"

Antkit flattened his ears, but still meowed nothing. His tail waved back and forth.

Anger bubbled up inside of Flamesong. "You can't be silent forever!" she snapped. She claws dug into the ground. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry Antkit. I'm just a bit tired."

Antkit snuggled next to his mother, and Flamesong smiled. "Go to sleep now."

Two moons later Antkit became Antpaw and was given his mother as a mentor, since he would not acknowledge any cat but her.

As they touched noses, Flamesong was aware of the excitement in his eyes, as if he wanted to yowl until he became mute.

The tom still hadn't meowed anything. At six moons, she realized he might never meow anything to any cat.

Flamesong lifted her head. "Come on. It's early enough to show you the territory. I'll take you to the border we share with DashClan."

Antpaw smiled and his tail twitched happily. Flamesong licked his ear as they headed out of camp.

Flamesong showed Antpaw around the territory, including showing him the Great Oak. The last stop was the training clearing. The loose dirt in one spot gave Antpaw a smile.

The new apprentice walked over to it and moved his paw around in it. He made a circle in the dirt, and smiled.

"What is that?" Flamesong asked.

Antpaw moved his paw around, making a twoleg word, 'Art'.

Twelve moons later, Antpaw became Antflare. He still hadn't said anything, just nodded and shook his head when needed. He was to have his warrior vigil.

Flamesong gave him an encouraging lick on the ear, as she could see that her son was nervous. "You'll be fine. Nothing really happens when a warrior is on vigil."

Antflare gave a, 'I'll be fine', nod. He smiled and glanced at the entrance. His eyes gleamed. He stood and walked over to the entrance and sat down, staring into the forest.

Flamesong yawned and went to the warriors' den. _Antflare will be fine, _she told herself. _He's a good cat._ She curled up in her nest and fell asleep.

Flamesong awoke to a yowl outside. She shot up first and dashed outside, not waiting for the other warriors to awaken.

Outside she saw something that made her sick, yet proud. He son was fighting a fox single-pawed. She could see blood, but couldn't tell who it belonged to. She ran forward and leaped onto the fox.

She tore flesh from the fox as if it was prey, thoughts whirling inside her head. _Do not injure my son! _Her growl was loud, and she was unaware of the other warriors yowling at her to jump off.

She felt the fox try to buck her off, then run out of camp, but she held on. She continued to tear at the fox's pelt.

She could hear the warriors chasing her and the fox. She didn't hear them call her name, until one voice yowled loudly.

"MOTHER!" it called. Flamesong's ear twitched. She only had one kit. _Antflare?_

"Mother! Jump off of the fox!" the voice called. This time she was sure it was Antflare. As a mother, she had a way of figuring out her kit's voice, even if it hadn't been heard before.

Slowly, Flamesong's claws began to slink back into her paws. She jumped off of the fox and rolled on the ground, landing awkwardly on her shoulder. She winced in pain and pulled herself to her paws. She limped towards the group of cats.

"Mom!" Antflare ran over to his mother, who almost fell from the intensity of his excited nuzzling. "You're okay. Thank StarClan you're okay." Tears were trickling down his face.

"I'm okay Antflare," she whispered. "Everything is fine now. Mommy is safe now. Thanks to you." She licked Antflare's ear. "I love you."

Scarpelt, her brother, ran over to the reunited pair. "Flamesong, your shoulder!" His voice was loud and filled with worry.

Flamesong looked at her shoulder, the one she had landed on. Almost all of her flesh was torn from her shoulder. She hadn't realized it was torn until Scarpelt showed her. The sight of her blood almost made her throw up. Her vision was blacking out, until she fainted.

When she woke up, she was in the medicine cats' den. Breezefall was watching her from the other side of the den. Antflare was curled up next to her. She wanted to wake up Antflare, but he looked so peaceful. She looked at Breezefall, who nodded.

Flamesong prodded Antflare with one paw. The tom grunted but didn't wake up. She tried again, getting the same results. Flamesong narrowed her eyes and nipped Antflare's ear. He didn't even move this time, but continued to sleep.

_Heavy sleeper, just like his father. _She smiled and silently laughed to herself. She sighed, and Antflare jerked upwards with his eyes wide. "What's happening?"

Flamesong laughed. "You have the most weird sleeping pattern ever."

Antflare stuck his tongue out. "You're the light sleeper."

Flamesong smiled and licked his ear. "How long have you been here?"

"You've been here all day yesterday and it is..." Antflare looked outside. "Sunhigh right now... Which means I've been here for about a day-and-a-half."

Flamesong yawned. "Thank you. Do you know where your father is?"

Antflare shook his head. "No idea. I haven't left this den."

"I'm going to find him," she meowed. Flamesong tried to stand up, but her shoulder made her collapse again. She looked at the cobwebs on her shoulder and her eyes shut. The cobwebs were soaked red. "Well, there goes me finding your father."

"I'll go get him," offered Antflare.

"No, don't go. He'll come by later." Flamesong smiled

"Or now," a voice meowed from the entrance of the den. Cedarmist walked into the den and licked his mate's ear.

"Hi dad," meowed Antflare.

Cedarmist purred. "It's good to hear a sound coming from you."

Flamesong purred. "I know, right?" She smiled. "This is our first family conversation."

Antflare nodded. "I'm hungry. Is anyone else hungry? I'll go get us something to eat." Before any protests could be sounded, Antflare dashed out of the den.

"I'm so proud of him," Flamesong and Cedarmist meowed at the same time. The looked at each other and laughed. "He's just like you," they both meowed. They laughed again.

Antflare came back with two squirrels. He passed one to Cedarmist and turned to Breezefall, who Flamesong had just remembered was in the den. "Share with me?"

Breezefall shrugged and stepped over. He settled down next to Antflare. Flamesong smiled at the medicine cat. Cedarmist set the prey inbetween her and himself to share. Cedarmist took a bite before sliding it to Flamesong.

"Mom, what were you thinking when you hung onto that fox?" Antflare suddenly asked.

"I-I don't remember. I just remember that I didn't want to fox to hurt you. You're my only kit. I couldn't let you get hurt." Flamesong sighed. "You wouldn't have been able to manage that badger on your own."

"Thanks mom."

Flamesong shot her tail in front of her three favorite toms, Antflare, Cedarmist, and Scarpelt. She whiskers twitched as she dropped into a crouch and crept forward slowly.

She spotted her prey, a thrush. She stopped, her eyes narrowing. Her hindquarters wriggled as she pounced. She caught her thrush and brought it back to her family.

"Nice catch, mom!" exclaimed Antflare.

"Yes, very good," purred Cedarmist.

Scarpelt shot a smile. His ears flicked as he stretched. "Too bad that was the only prey we could find. Let's head back to camp."

"Okay. Let's go!"

_**AN: Also, I added the drawing of the word 'Art' just cause I felt like it. 1,524 words.**_

_Flamesong-ginger she-cat with light ginger muzzle, paws, chest, belly, and tail tip with amber eyes_

_Antkit/paw/flare- ginger tom with dark ginger tabby markings and black ear tips and tail tip with green eyes_

_Cedarmist- dark-grey mottled tom with green eyes._

_Scarpelt- ginger tom with scars all over body and blue eyes_

_Breezefall- grey tom with brown tabby markings and blue eyes_


	7. Take Your Best Shot

**Take Your Best Shot**

"Take your best shot," growled the scarred tom.

The ginger kit looked uncertain. Her blue eyes were full of fear and her ears were flattened.

"What's wrong, kit? Scared?" The dark tom smirked.

The kit's eyes widened as she shook her head. "Frost is never scared!" She dashed forward, scampering underneath the tom and clawing his inner legs with her tiny claws.

The tom watched Frost with interest. "Weakling! You are my daughter! You must have gotten this from your weakling mother!"

Frost flattened her ears. "I'm sorry, Father."

Father growled and struck Frost with his large paw. Frost flew into a tree, landing on the ground with a _thump._

Frost stood up shakily. Her back was ruffled and she was bleeding from a cut on her leg.

Father stalked over to his kit and picked her up by the scruff. He began to shake her back and forth violently.

Frost cried out in pain as she felt her fur and flesh tear from the back of her neck. "Father stop!"

"What did you do wrong? Answer and I'll stop!" he yowled at her as he continued to shake her.

"I apologized! Apologizing is for the weak! I am not weak!" Frost closed her eyes, ready to feel herself drop to the ground.

The impact of her hitting the ground was harder than usual. She could hear an _oomph_ coming from the direction of her Father.

She quickly scrambled to her paws and looked around. She saw her Father pinned down by a strange light-grey cat. "Father!" She dashed forward, her claws unsheathed. "Get away from him!"

The strange cat looked at Frost with a confused expression. "Father?" She expression soon turned angry and she looked down at Father. "You're her father? You were abusing her!"

Father smirked and nodded. "She's my daughter, and I'm training her to be strong."

Frost stopped in her tracks, which was a fox-length away from her father.

"That's not training. That is abuse." growled the stranger, who Frost now recognized as a she-cat.

"She's my daughter, and I shall do with her what I please. Now if you could be so kind as to ge-"

Father was interrupted as the she-cat's claws dug into his throat. Frost's eyes widened in shock.

The she-cat's head leaned down so that her mouth was right next to Father's ear. She whispered into his ear, something Frost would never forget. "Not anymore."

Frost was shaking in her fur. Her father had been killed, and she had been taken to a strange place full of strange cats. She was on a high ledge, and she was very afraid.

The she-cat, who she now knew to be Wolfstar, placed her tail around Frost as she called to the cats. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me here beneath the Caveledge for a Clan meeting."

_Clan? Caveledge? _These confused Frost as she watched cats pour into the clearing down below.

"I have found this kit being abused by her rouge father. She is now my adopted kit. I have taken care of her father. Everyone, this is Frost." Wolfstar removed her tail to show the clan her new kit.

Frost stepped forward until she was at the edge of the ledge. She looked down at the cats. Her ears flattened as she saw looks of disapproval.

Wolfstar narrowed her eyes. "I will perform the ceremony. As Frost is a kit, I shall make my own ceremony.

"Frost, you have chosen to give up your rouge life to live the life of a Clan cat. You will train and live with the cats you see before you. Do you accept this life?"

Frost hesitated, before meowing, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you Frostkit, a new kit of WolfClan." Wolfstar licked Frostkit's ear.

"Frostkit! Frostkit!" The cheering came from a little ginger kit from a den. His cheering was loud, and that perked up Frostkit.

"Frostkit! Frostkit!" She looked around and saw a ginger-and-white cat, as well as a brown-and-white cat, cheering for her.

Slowly, the whole Clan joined in for the cheering, welcoming Frostkit to their home.

As the cheering died away, Wolfstar nudged Frostkit with her head lightly. "That ginger kit is Adderkit. Make friends with him. Take your best shot."

"Frostkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Frostpaw. I will be your mentor." Wolfstar jumped down from Caveledge.

Frostpaw touched noses with her new mentor, trying to ignore the surprised looks from her clanmates. Her eyes glittered as she pulled away and her clanmates began to chant her apprentice name.

"Frostpaw! Frostpaw!" they chanted, Adderpaw and Flowerpaw the loudest.

Wolfstar looked down at Frostpaw with a motherly gaze. "You will be a great apprentice, Frostpaw. To be a warrior will take your best shot."

Frostpaw narrowed her eyes. Her tail swayed back and forth in concentration. This was her assessment to be a warrior. Her opponent, Flowerwish. The ginger-and-white she-cat was mirroring all of her moves.

"Come on! One of you have to make a move! Take your best shot!" called out Heatherstreak, the deputy.

Frostpaw's ear twitched as she heard the phrase that she had been hearing her whole life. _Take your best shot._ She gave a mental nod as she charged forward.

She zig-zagged forward, her eyes on Flowerwish's the entire time. She watched the warrior's eyes flicker to the left before she charged as well. Frostpaw smirked.

She quickly fainted to the left. Just as Flowerwish struck out, Frostpaw switched directions and lashed out her paw. She pushed as hard as she could, but to no avail.

Flowerwish turned on her and pushed her down. Her opponent pinned down her back.

Frostpaw struggled, but couldn't get out. She had one option left to win. She went limp, her eyes filled with determination.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Heatherstreak about to stop the fight. She watched Wolfstar put her tail in front of the deputy.

Frostpaw gave an inward sigh of relief as she felt Flowerwish relax. She smirked. Using all of her energy and strength, she pushed upwards.

Caught of guard, Flowerwish flew into the air and landed on the ground. Frostpaw quickly pinned the warrior.

Flowerwish relaxed, but Frostpaw wasn't going to fall for the same thing. When she pushed upwards, Frostpaw held on. Flowerwish collapsed on the ground, defeated.

"Okay, fight over! Frostpaw is definately the winner," meowed Heatherstreak.

Frostpaw smiled and stepped off of Flowerwish. "No hard feelings?"

"Of course not. Great job," meowed Flowerwish as she rolled herself to her paws. "You'll make a great warrior."

"Thanks."

"We all know that Frostpaw passed her hunting assessment. She has definately taken her best shot. She is ready to become a warrior," meowed Wolfstar.

Frostpaw smile widened. _I'm going to be a warrior!_

"We shall hold her ceremony when we get back to camp," Wolfstar informed the group of cats. "Let us head back."

The cats began to head back to camp. Frostpaw walked with Adderpaw, her best friend. "Congrats Frostpaw," meowed Adderpaw.

"Thanks," she purred.

"You'll make a great warrior. Then you'll be leader and I'll be your deputy!" Adderpaw meowed excitedly.

"I don't know... Maybe I'll make Fawnsoul deputy just to make you upset," she joked lightly.

Adderpaw gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"Oh, I would." Frostpaw flicked her tail over Adderpaw's nose.

The ginger tom sneezed. "Furball," he meowed playfully.

"You are sure RIGHT I AM!" Frostpaw wrapped her tail around Adderpaw's head. "I shall be Frostfurball, the greatest warrior ever!"

Adderpaw sneezed again. He pawed away Frostpaw's tail. "Frostfurball? Sounds too long. Maybe Frostfur or Frostball... or combine it to make Frostfall or Frostbur."

Frostpaw sighed. "Keep guessing. Go on, take your best shot."

Back at camp, Wolfstar called the cats into the clearing for Frostpaw's warrior ceremony. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me here beneath the Caveledge for a Clan meeting.

"Frostpaw has completed her assessment and is ready to become a warrior. Heatherstreak and I both feel that she is ready."

Frostpaw puffed out her chest. She looked at Heatherstreak, who nodded at her from her spot at the foot of the Caveledge.

Wolfstar continued. "I, Wolfstar, leader of WolfClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.

"Frostpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Frostpaw lifted her head high. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Frostpaw, from this moment you will be known as Frostfire. Starclan honors your determination and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WolfClan." Wolfstar jumped down from the Caveledge and rested her muzzle on the new warrior's head.

Frostfire licked her shoulder as the Clan called her new name. "Frostfire! Frostfire!"

"Frostfire will hold a silent vigil tonight. She will guard the camp alone without saying anything," Wolfstar informed the Clan.

"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirit of Heatherstreak may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of WolfClan will be Frostfire."

Frostfire looked up in shock as she heard her name. "Th-thank you Wolfstar. I shall serve my Clan well."

From beside her, Adderblaze placed his tail on her shoulder. She turned to the tom and smiled. "You will be leader, just like we said as kits."

"You mean like _you _said." The new deputy swiped a paw at Adderblaze's ear. He didn't duck. "Furball."

"Though Wolfstar's death is a tragedy, we must not mourn for too long. There are rouges still out there, the same ones who killed our noble leader. Tonight, I shall travel to Mooncave and recieve my nine lives. In the mean time...

"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirit of Wolfstar may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of WolfClan will be Fawnsoul." Frostfire searched the crowd for the brown she-cat. Her eyes caught Adderblaze, who was frowning in disappointment.

"Thank you," meowed the she-cat. Frostfire located her. "I will serve my Clan well." Fawnsoul bowed her head slightly.

"Shrewfrost and I will leave for Mooncave as doon as the travel herbs are ready. Fawnsoul, you are in charge." Frostfire jumped down from the Caveledge and headed to the medicine cats' den.

"Shrewfrost? I'm ready to leave."

Froststar stood in front of the nine starry cats. Wolfstar stood in front of all the rest.

"I hail you by your new name, Froststar. Your old life is no more. You have now recieved the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of WolfClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity," meowed Wolfstar.

"Froststar! Froststar!" chanted the starry cats.

"Always remember," whispered Wolfstar. "Take your best shot."

**AN- 1,879 words. This didn't take too long.**

**Froststar- a bright ginger she-cat with white markings on her ears, belly, chest, and paws. Her eyes are blue.**

**Father- a grey tom with a ginger chest and dark amber eyes.**

**Wolfstar- a light-grey she-cat with light green eyes.**

**Adderblaze- dark ginger tom with a light ginger stripe leading from his nose to the middle of his tail as well as light ginger markings on his ear tips. His eyes are green.**

**Heathersteak- a light brown she-cat with yellow eyes**

**Fawnsoul- pale brown she-cat with white markings on her ears and tail as well as three white spots on her lower back. Her eyes are light amber**

**Shrewfrost- a dark brown tom with a white tail and blue eyes**


	8. Creativity

**Creativity**

"I don't want the mouse!"

"Neither do I!"

Wolfpaw's eyes widened as he listened to the elders argue. Flowerwish and Leopardsoul never argued when he was around, and even when they did argue, it was never over anything as meaningless as a piece of prey.

"Take the mouse, Flowerwish. I eat more than you do," meowed Leopardsoul.

"No you don't," protested Flowerwish. "You eat about as much as a newborn kit."

Wolfpaw rolled his eyes he has brought the elders fresh-kill, one thrush and one mouse. Each piece was about the same size, yet the elders argued.

"Why don't you just share both the thrush and the mouse?" he asked.

Flowerwish turned to the apprentice in surprise. "Share? No, we don't share."

"Then why don't I just put the mouse back and grab another thrush?"

"That's a waste of prey," protested Leopardsoul.

"_I'll _eat the mouse." meowed Wolfpaw.

"No. It was retrieved for us, so one of us has to eat it." Flowerwish had a determined gleam in her bright blue eye.

Wolfpaw sighed. "Why not find some way to compete for the thrush?" he asked.

"How can we compete for the trush?" Leopardsoul asked.

_Mousedung! _Wolfpaw cursed. _How _can _they compete for the trush? _He sighed, defeated. _They can't race. They can't spar, either. Maybe... _His eyes widened, an idea coming to his head. "Maybe you can tell a story."

"A story?" Flowerwish flicked her striped tail.

"Yeah. Whoever has the best story wins!" Wolfpaw smiled. "I can get Shadowpaw, Bluepaw, and Willowpaw to help me judge. It'll be great!"

"I'm okay with it," Leopardsoul mumbled.

"I guess I am, too," rasped Flowerwish.

"Great!" Wolfpaw dashed out of the den, searching for his sisters and friend.

He looked around. Bluepaw's striped pelt was easy to spot. He padded over. "Where's Shadowpaw and Willowpaw?"

"Eating." She gestured to a corner in the camp, where the two she-cats were sharing a squirrel.

"Thanks. Meet me at the elders' den. It's important... sort of." Before she could respond, Wolfpaw dashed away.

He slowed down as he approached the she-cats. "Hey."

"Hi, Wolfpaw," Willowpaw meowed cheerfully.

"I need both of you at the elders' den. I have an... elder problem." Wolfpaw twitched his whiskers, thinking about the sweet old elders ever being a problem.

"What kind of elder problem?" asked Shadowpaw, getting to her paws.

Wolfpaw ignored his sister and led the she-cats to the elders' den, where Flowerwish was telling Bluepaw what was going on.

"-and he said that we should tell a story to decide, so- Oh, hello Wolfpaw." Flowerwish looked up with her one blue eye.

"I think we're ready now," he meowed, settling down.

"Ready for what?" Shadowpaw demanded.

"Their gonna tell us stories, and we have to judge who's is better," Wolfpaw quickly informed them, flicking his tail. "Now let's start."

"I'll go first," rasped Flowerwish. "Have I told the story of why the clouds are white on nice days and gray on stormy days?"

They shook their heads, including Leopardsoul.

"Good. Well, long ago, in an ancient Clan called ThunderClan, there was a she-cat named Cloudshine. She was a beautiful white cat with bright green eyes. She was a young cat, and really quiet. She just flowed along, never paying heed to the snickering and looks that the apprentices gave her. Her one rule, don't get her wet.

"Well, the apprentices learned of this rule. The eldest, Waterpaw, decided to pay a prank on the white she-cat. They all retrieved moss and soaked it in the lake. When Cloudshine went to take a nap, they soaked her with water.

"Cloudshine woke up, her wet fur bristling. She became angry, and yelled at the apprentices. As she continued to yell at the apprentices, her fur gradually became darker and darker, until is was a dark shade of gray.

"The apprentices were afraid of Cloudshine. They ran away from her, including Waterpaw. When they ran, Cloudshine slowly became happy again. As she did, her fur became lighter until it was white one more.

"StarClan was deciding on what color the clouds should be when it storms. They watched what happened with Cloudshine, and decided that it should be like that. There were never cats like Cloudshine ever again. Ever since, the clouds were white when calm, and grey when angry."

Wolfpaw's eyes trailed to his own gray fur. "Wow."

"That was pretty cool," Willowpaw agreed.

"I guess it's my turn," Leopardsoul meowed. "When the ancient Clans were still starting, there was a she-cat named Birdsong. She had the smoothest, most melodic vince any cat had ever heard. Whenever she said something, the forest just to hear her.

"At the time, birds made no sound. They were easily caught since they were unable to alart the rest of the forest to the danger of hunters. Birdsong was the best bird hunter in her Clan. She-"

"What Clan was she in?" Bluepaw asked. Wolfpaw's pelt prickled with irritation as his sister interrupted the elder.

"She was a part of SkyClan. Anyways, she always brought back a bird when she hunted, even in the hard times of leafbare.

"One day, a large animal appeared in camp. It had sharp teeth and long claws. It's name was lost to history, but most cats call it 'Death'. Death was a fierce demon, bent on destroying the Clans. He attacked, taking away five of Skystar's lives. When he attacked Birdsong, she screamed. Her beautiful voice distracted her long enough for the one of the cats to rip out Death's throat.

"As the demon lay there, bleeding to death, he laid a curse on Birdsong. No one understood what he said, but the purpose was soon made clear.

"Birdsong could not speak anymore. Her voluminous voice was gone. The birds gradually began to miss her voice, and they cried out. Eventually the crying became singing, in honor of Birdsong, the she-cat with the voice of an angel."

"Woah..." breathed Wolfpaw, trying to imagine what Birdsong would sound like.

"I wish I was Birdsong," Willowpaw mused.

"No you don't. You'd be mute if you were!" insisted Shadowpaw.

Wolfpaw rolled his eyes at the bickering she-cats, sighing. "Well, I think Leopardsoul wins."

"Agreed," meowed the three she-cats at once. They looked at each other and giggled.

"Good," rasped Leopardsoul as he pulled the thrush towards himself. He dug in immediately.

Flowerwish pouted, her blue eye looking the mouse over. She took a bite hesitantly. She shrugged before digging in.

"Thanks for the stories," Willowpaw meowed, a gleam still in her eyes from Leopardsoul's story. "I'll be going now."

"Same," meowed Shadowpaw and Bluepaw, glancing at each other as the three she-cats left the elders' den.

Wolfpaw watched the she-cats leave. His eyes were locked on their swinging tails as they left.

"Wolfpaw?"

A voice snapped him out of his daze. He turned his head to Leopardsoul. "Yes?"

"Why don't you tell us a story?" the elder asked.

"I-I'm not very good at stories." Wolfpaw shook his head.

"Sure you are. Tell us a story, Wolfpaw," insisted Flowerwish.

Wolfpaw bit his lip. "What about the gi-"

"They don't need more stories. They'll be content with gossiping about toms," Flowerwish told him.

He rolled his eyes and sighed, defeated. "Fine," grumbled Wolfpaw.

"There was once a cat named Grassheart. She was a pure white she-cat with bright green eyes, the color of grass. She wasn't anything very special. Just a normal cat, or so everyone thought.

"A case of greencough broke through the Clan. Grassheart was one of the cats who got greencough, which later turned into blackcough. She refused treatment, so she was to die.

"Her leader checked on her everyday. He prayed to StarClan as he gazed into her sad, green eyes each day. As he prayed, he was able to see a change." He paused.

Flowerwish leaned in, her one, blue eye wide.

"Each day, Grassheart's eyes grew duller and darker, until they turned a deep shade of brown. That same day, she died.

"All cats mourned, especially the leader. He prayed to StarClan every night, hoping that she made it to StarClan safely. His eyes were frequently seen watching the sky.

"As leafbare grew nearer and nearer, the grass began to turn brittle and became darker until it too was a deep shade of brown. It was like that evey leafbare. StarClan was mourning Grassheart." Wolfpaw stopped. "I-I guess that's it. That's the story of why grass is green in newleaf and brown in leafbare."

Leopardsoul smiled. "That was wonderful," he rasped.

"Thanks," Wolfpaw mumbled, getting to his paws. "I have to go now." He stumbled out of the den and towards the forest.

He ran as fast as he could until he found a tree. His tree. His sanctuary. He climbed up with the speed of a cheetah and plopped on a branch.

Sadness flooded through him. He felt like his heart was drowning, because there was one thing he didn't tell the two elders. The story did not beling to him. It never did, and it never will. The story was his mother's.

**AN: 1,519 words. This one was the hardest for me since I'm no good at making up stories like in the story. It took me days for these stories. Dx**


	9. Flash

**Flash**

Burnpaw woke up with a start. He saw a flash of white in the corner of his eye. "Cherrypaw?"

Startled amber eyes turned towards Burnpaw. "Um, uh... You are sleeping, Burnpaw. This is all a dream! S-sent from, uh, StarClan!" Cherrypaw's bright eyes darted back and forth.

"Nice try, Cherrypaw. You've tried that a million times and it has never worked once," he mumbled groggily as he got to his paws. "What are you up to this time?"

"N-nothing." Cherrypaw flashed her teeth. "I'm just going on a walk. No need to worry."

"Knowing you, I need to be _very _worried." Burnpaw narrowed his eyes, half playful and half suspicious. His sister was always getting into trouble.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, looking offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nevermind." Burnpaw flicked his tail. "Well come on. If you're going on a walk, I'm coming with you. You need a big, strong tom to protect you."

"Then where's the big, strong tom? Is he behind you?" Cherrypaw moved to look behind Burnpaw, but started giggling and stopped when she saw the annoyed expression he was making. "Oh, calm down. I was just messing with you!"

Burnpaw rolled his eyes and stretched, his black paws extending. He was glad that he and his sister were the only apprentices. Briarstrike had just been made a warrior, and tonight he was sitting his vig-

"Cherrypaw?"

"Mm?"

"Briarstrike is sitting his vigil. How are we supposed to get out of camp without suspicion?" he asked her, worry masking his voice.

"Easy. Sneak out through the dirtplace tunnel. Haven't you ever snuck out of camp before?" When he didn't answer, Cherrypaw's amber eyes turned towards the opening of the apprentices' den. The dirtplace tunnel was in sight. "Come on, let's go!"

"Sh, not so loud. Briarstrike might hear us," hissed Burnpaw as they stepped outside.

"I wouldn't worry about that." Cherrypaw flicked her ginger tail towards the brown tabby warrior, who was fast asleep.

Burnpaw snickered. "StarClan will wake him up." He heard a snort come from Cherrypaw. "Or not. If I was leader, I would put him on the dawn patrol."

Cherrypaw let out a low laugh. "Forget the dawn patrol. Put Briarstrike on a patrol around the entirety of both our territory and DashClan's."

"And then he can go hunting," Burnpaw added, his whiskers twitching. He smiled. "And can't come back until he's caught a _huge _pile of prey."

"Yeah. It would have to be ten fox lengths high!" Cherrypaw giggled. "Or maybe it'll have to touch the sky." She paused, then burst into another fit of giggles.

Burnpaw rolled his eyes. "Good job, Cherrypaw. You made it rhyme."

"Why can't you make it rhyme like that? It makes it so much... fat..." Cherrypaw flattened her ears.

"That rhyme was awful. It was so bad, it might give me greencough," Burnpaw told her. "I might even go deaf."

"Shut up, party pooper. You couldn't do better." She turned towards him, her amber eyes flaring.

"Calm down, Cherrypaw. You act like such a kit sometimes." Burnpaw flicked his tail. "Come on, I'll race you to the Thunderpath."

Cherrypaw opened her mouth to say something, but Burnpaw had already zoomed past her, going out the dirtplace tunnel.

Burnpaw pelted through the undergrowth, occasionally hearing his sister call out his name. "Stop, Burnpaw!" He knew it was all a trick. He was going to make her slow down, then get ahead of him. He wasn't going to lose this race. He refused to.

Eventually Burnpaw slowed down and his sister caught up. They were almost to the Thunderpath. "Burnpaw, why didn't you stop?" she demanded, unnaturally angry.

"You were going to trick me! You always do. You're always telling me you're in trouble or something stupid like that then get ahead of me. Not anymore!" Burnpaw's pelt was starting to bristle, the ends becoming pointy.

"I wasn't this time." She adverted her eyes. "I-I'm afraid of the Thunderpath."

Burnpaw narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. What are you hiding?"

Cherrypaw's eyes shot up to his. "I'm not hiding anything!" she insisted. "I would never hide anything from you."

"You're still lying," he said slowly. "I'm your brother. I know when you're lying."

Cherrypaw growled. "You have no right to accuse me of lying!"

"I have every right. You're not our leader!"

"Whatever!" Cherrypaw stormed off, in the direction of the Thunderpath.

"I knew you were lying!" he screamed at her as he followed her. "You're not allowed at the Thunderpath alone. You're an apprentice!"

"So are you," she shouted over her shoulder.

As he continued to follow Cherrypaw, he could being too clearly hear the Thunderpath and its monsters. Burnpaw sighed, defeated. "Know what? You win. Now let's go back to camp."

"Why? Are you scared of the Thunderpath?" He could hear the mock in her voice.

He didn't answer. After a short pause he dared to speak again. "It's getting closer to dawn. We need to get back to camp."

"Nice try. We haven't been out here for that long," Cherrypaw shot over her shoulder.

Burnpaw growled, beginning to get annoyed. "Let's just go, Cherrypaw. Come on!"

Cherrypaw stopped suddenly and whipped around, her fur bristling. "I'm not going back to camp yet! I'm going to the Thunderpath."

Burnpaw creased his non-existent brows. "What's the matter with you, Cherrypaw? You're acting weird."

"And you're acting like a piece of fox-dung!" Cherrypaw spun on her paws and ran away from Burnpaw.

_What is wrong with her?_ He pelted after her. He could hear the Thunderpath, and he could see more light than what came from the moon. His eyes widened in fear, and shut suddenly when there was no more light.

He slowed down. Even though his eyes were still shut tightly, he could feel the edge of the Thunderpath beneath his paws. His eyes opened. A white blur was on the Thunderpath.

"Cherrypaw!" It was his sister. He knew it was. Who else would be there?

"What do you want?" Her voice was full of spite. Had he really made her that angry?

Burnpaw frowned. "Come back! We need to get back to camp. We're in danger!"

"In danger of what?" Cherrypaw's voice came to him confused. The anger was still there, mixed in.

And then he saw it.

Out of the corner of his wide amber eyes he saw it. He knew what it was, but he didn't want to admit that is was.

His voice came out louder than he thought it would. One word that would change his life forever. "Monster!"

Cherrypaw's head turned, slowly. He could hear her screaming, but she wasn't moving. He knew why. She was so afraid she couldn't move. She was frozen with fear.

Then it was like time was slowing down. Burnpaw's black paws flew across the Thunderpath, pushing him as fast as he could. Right before he reached his sister, time sped up once more. He tackled her, but it was too late. He couldn't even feel the pain. All he was aware of was a a final flash.

Flash.

_Flash._

Burnpaw's eyes couldn't open. Pain seared through his body. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could still feel the side of the Thunderpath under his body. His breaths came in rasps.

He could hear talking. He recognized all the voices but one. His leader, Wolfstar. His mother, Redsky. His sister, Cherrypaw. His mentor, Brightsoul. The medicine cat, Sootstorm. Then one last voice. The one he couldn't recognize.

"Are you sure he's going to die?" It was his mother, voice full of worry.

"I'm certain. He'll die a warrior's death. The most honorable thing he could've done was done. He will be remembered." That was Sootstorm.

"I don't want him to die. It's all my fault!" Cherrypaw.

"It's not your fault. It was all mine." The unknown cat. It was enough to make Burnpaw stir, despite the pain.

"Burnpaw!" He grunted as his sister plowed into his side, nuzzling him as hard as she could. "I'm so glad you're awake. Sootstorm said you wouldn't wake up! I was so worried."

He couldn't say anything to her. He couldn't even open her eyes. He managed to lick Cherrypaw's ear comfortingly, despite not being able to see her.

"Burnpaw, open your eyes. I want you to meet someone." Cherrypaw's voice was insistent.

Slowly, he managed to shake his head.

"Why not?" she asked.

"He can't. He's too injured to talk, and he doesn't have his eyes any longer," Sootstorm told his sister. He managed to feel a prickle of irritation that he couldn't answer himself.

"Well, I can tell you about him, then." He imagined Cherrypaw smiling. "This is Orville, my, uh, tom-friend from DashClan."

Burnpaw's eyes flew open. _Cherrypaw is a traitor! _He looked at this strange tom named Orville. He felt a growl in his throat as he got to his paws.

"What are you doing?" demanded Sootstorm.

Burnpaw ignored him. His eyes were set on the DashClan cat. He limped towards the tom and, with his last bit of strength, attacked the tom.

He saw a flash of claws, and heard Cherrypaw scream. Burnpaw fell back, and he heard a loud crack.

"Orville, what did you do?" Cherrypaw sounded hysterical.

"He was attacking me!"

"He's on the verge of death. You have no right." Even to the end, his sister defended him.

The two young cats continued to bicker as Burnpaw felt himself slipping. His eyes fell closed, and the last thing he saw before the darkness consumed him was a flash.

**AN: 1,600 words exactly. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be.**

**Like all the other ones in the book of one-shots, this takes place in the WolfClan universe. Wolfstar is Shadow/paw/storm's brother. *nodnod***

**Bye now!**


	10. Puzzling Words

**Puzzling Words**

"_I love you."_

These words puzzled her. They had no meaning to her. They were not even directed towards her. They were not her words. She did not deserve the words, not from him. She never had in the first place. She never understood why she thought she would get them.

These words confused her. What were these words to her, but empty. She felt nothing but pain every time she heard him say these words. They were not for her. They never were meant for her. She would throw the words on the ground and light them on fire if she could.

These words baffled her. Her heart broke every time she heard them come from his mouth. They were meant for another. Yet, still she hoped. Still she waited. Still she dreamed.

These words perplexed her. Sometimes she imagined that they were hers. That she could just cuddle up and let the warmth of the words envelope her. She wanted, no, _needed, _those words.

She needed those words as badly as she needed him. She needed him to be with her. To smile with her. To laugh with her. To tell her those words.

These words dazed her. She felt nauseous every time she heard those words. She felt like she would keel over and die. All of her like would leave her in one great motion. She would not sleep. She would not eat. She could not. It was too much for her.

These words befuddled her. She had to know what, where, and why these words were. Why would anyone want these words? What was the point? Who was the first to even utter them? They were not needed.

One does not feel love. One felt great like, but not love. Love was nonexistent. It was a word of no meaning. A puzzling word. A word that made her feel like she was no longer her.

She wished that life was simpler once more. She wanted to her an apprentice again. She wanted to just worry about becoming a warrior, not about love and fighting and dying.

Most importantly, she wanted him again.

She always thought about those three words, the ones that puzzled her to no end. The three words that made her head spin. The three words that made her feel like someone important, yet like she was just no one.

The words were the most puzzling in the world. She never wanted to hear them again, yet she wanted so badly to hear them from him just one time. She knew she never would, though.

"_I love you."_

It was the first time she had ever heard those words. It was not from him, but they made her melt none the less. She felt happy and calm and at peace. She could die and she would be happy. The way it made her feel, it puzzled her.

Every day she heard those three words, and she could not have been happier. It was not who she wanted at first, but it was who she wanted now. They were not as puzzling as they used to be, yet the words came to her like they always did, and she hated that feeling.

The words were a symphony of sound, caressing her with each syllable, holding her in its arms of beauty and grace. Those words became a daily routine or affection, a longing for only one.

"_I love you."_

When she first laid eyes upon the three bundles of fur that were her children, she could only say those words. It puzzled her as to why she chose those words instead of something else, but none the less those were the first words she spoke to the kits.

The first words her little boy had ever told her were those three words. She cherished them, loving each and every sound and silence that came from those words. As the days went on she continued to cherish those words.

"_I love you."_

She thought the words would never come for anyone else, but she was wrong. Her beautiful and loving half-sister was who those words were for. She loved her sister like no one else. She was her family, someone who she had risked her life for on more than one occasion.

When she lost her sister, she felt lost, but those last three words to her were what she wanted. She deserved them. Her sister deserved them more than she knew.

"_I love you."_

Yet again the words came for someone new. Two someones actually. Her children. Her second litter, they were. Two beautiful children who brought joy to her life. They were like a beacon of light and love from which she could her find her way out of any darkness.

They brought the three words to her and they made her happier than she had ever been. Hearing the words made her heart beat faster than ever. She felt that these three beautiful words were finally something she loved to hear. They were finally something that wouldn't bother her, no matter who was around.

"_I love you."_

He was leaving her, and she did not want him to leave her. Death and life, what difference was there? She listened to those words from him, and she repeated them back. She told him again and again those three words.

When he was gone, she still told him. She prayed that he heard. She prayed that he waited for her. She prayed that he still loved her, even though he was gone.

"_I love you."_

From which those words came, they went as easily. Her baby had left her. Her baby was gone, and she could not last. The words which poured from her mouth grew weaker and weaker each time she said them. Her baby was gone, and the words began to become less familiar to her. They began to become puzzling once more.

"_I love you."_

She knew when it was her time to leave. The small bird of which she had taken care of ever since the mountains came was dying. She knew the jay was dying, and she knew she would see her in StarClan. She hoped she would see her in StarClan.

She missed the fluttering of wings and the chirping in the morning. The birdsong in the morning would be what she missed the most. The song was the perfect way to wake up, she knew, and she would never hear it again. The bird was gone.

"_I love you."_

This time, it was her. She was leaving the world, leaving behind her friends, kits, and grand-kits. Her entire family, friends and kits alike, they were all being left behind. Her niece and nephew would miss her. Her kits would miss her. Her grand-kits would miss her. Her friends would miss her. Her Clan would miss her. _He _would miss her.

She would miss them all, and they would miss her back, but she had her duties. Her friends and family who had passed would be waiting for her. Her beloved would be waiting for her. They would all be waiting for them. When she passed, she would greet them with open paws.

She would arrive, and she would see all who was lost to her long ago. Her brother, who died as a kit. Her sister, who was killed by a dog. Her half-sister, who was murdered in cold blood. Her mother, who died from eating contaminated prey. Her bird, which died from natural causes. Her mate, who died as the best cat she'd ever met.

For eternity she would feel the love of what was given to her, and what was lost to her so many seasons ago. An eternity of love was all she ever hoped for. An eternity of love was all she ever wished for.

All those who joined before and after her would be with her, a time of forever to know and to see and to love. The words of which followed her throughout her life would finally be stilled in a portal of everything she had ever felt. The emotion no longer stirred in her heart, but kept a steady beat of contentment for all she had ever gained and lost.

Throughout her life she had felt this would happen one day, and she knew it would be after her death that this would become true. She knew, and she accepted it like any other cat. It was those three simple words, those three heart-wrenching words, which made her feel this way.

These words would sing in her ears forever and ever, a feeling of emotions she had felt throughout her entire life. It was through which this all came together, these three words. The three words were there, forever and always, in eternity and passed.

It was true, she didn't think it would have ended this way exactly, but she couldn't have asked for it any other way.

"_I love you."_

**AN: 1,502 words. :-P**

**This one was really bad.**

**Really, **_**really**_** bad.**

**The ending didn't really come out the way I had planned it to. Oh well. Whatever.**

**Took me quite a few months as well, seeing as this didn't fit to any of my WolfClan charries.**

**This is actually a Tacoverse thing, but specifically written for the 100 one-shot challenge, not Vehemence. *shrug* Oh well.**

**The charrie this surrounds is actually not dead yet, but I imagine this is how she would feel. Totes.**

**You get three guesses to figure out who it is. The first two don't count. :-P**


	11. Ill

It was dark and the sun was setting. It was barely visible past the tall shape of the mountains. She stood alone outside, and he was there, too. For a minute, she could have sworn he was a russet tom with glowing yellow eyes, but soon he changed back to the cold grey tom with blue eyes.

She sighed. It was nights like these that made her miss her apprenticeship. The feelings made her sick to her stomach. Love is what they called it. Love is what it would always be.

She got to her paws then and padded over to the tom. "Hello," she greeted. She blinked, not recognizing her own voice. She was older now, and hadn't spoken to the tom alone since they were still in the forest. Since they were still TacoClan.

"What are you still doing awake?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts. His cold voice almost made her shiver.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted easily. "What about you?"

"Same." His tail was thrashing, she could see. "You should be asleep. You have an apprentice."

Her thoughts drifted to Cinderpaw. The young she-cat was a good apprentice. "I never really sleep during the night. I usually sit awake. If anyone should be asleep it should be you. You have a Clan to run."

"I realize this, but I just can't sleep right now," he told her.

She frowned. "Are those apprentices you've been eating making your stomach hurt?" She teased.

He looked at her with confused blue eyes before it finally clicked in his mind. "They wriggle in my belly so often. It's a wonder I still have a stomach."

She snorted. "Maybe it's time to switch to warriors. You're a big bad leader now, /Smokestar/."

"I'll stick with apprentices. You warriors are much too big, even for a 'big bad leader' such as me. I mean look at you Pheasantflight, you're huge." Smokestar smirked.

"Well gee thanks," the golden warrior said with a roll of her grey eyes. "Because you know, I'm totally the big one despite that you tower over me."

"Sarcasm doesn't help your case, young lady," Smokestar told her.

"And teasing doesn't help yours, old man," she retorted immediately.

Smokestar stared at her for a moment, jaw slightly agape, and Pheasantflight wondered if she had said something wrong. "I'm not old."

"Oh come on, Smokestar. Your son is older than me," she told him.

"Okay fine, I'm old. Those apprentices add many moons to my age," he argued. He stretched out his legs in mock-pain. "I'm not the same cat I used to be."

"Of course you are. If you weren't, you would have retired before you became leader." _Before Wolfstar died._ Pheasantflight smiled, and held back a yawn.

"Go to sleep," insisted the dark tom. "I know you're tired. Knowing Mousepaw and Minnowpaw, they'll want you to go hunting with them."

"They'll want you to go with them," she argued, flicking her golden tail. "You've been like a father to them, Minnowpaw especially." Memories of being told of Badgercloud, her sister and their mother, and Flurrypelt's, her mentor and their father, deaths drifted through her mind. They had hit her hard, but not as hard as the two kits. She became like a second mother to them, and Smokestar became their second father.

"You're more their family than I ever will be." That snapped her right out of her thoughts. "You're their aunt, Pheasantflight. I was never a part of your family."

Pheasantflight shook her head. "You'll always be a part of the family," she told him, her voice lowering.

"That's very kind of you, but I know that it's not true. I see your family, but I don't see me in there," he said.

"I see you there. I see you every day in Minnowpaw's eyes. She loves you, you know. You're her role model, Smokestar. You're her hero." Pheasantflight gave him a reassuring smile.

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are." Pheasantflight's eyes trailed to the stars. The sun had disappeared a long time ago, and the moon had taken its place. It was full, and she wondered how Badgercloud was doing in StarClan, with Swiftwing and Flurrypelt.

"That's a nice thought," Smokestar said quietly. "I have Eveningclaw, and that's it. I lost the rest of my family a long time ago. My mate, my brother, my kits... They're all gone except for my son."

Pheasantflight frown. "I'm sorry, Smokestar. I really am. StarClan is cru-"

"Don't talk to me about StarClan," the leader growled suddenly. "They left me a long time ago. They left me alone to take care of a Clan that cried to them for help every night. Those fox-hearts do nothing!"

"Don't say that, Smokestar. StarClan's power can only go so far. They aren't all powerful. They can only warn us of what is to come."

"Then why didn't they warn us about those rogues? Why didn't they warn us when the famine struck?" Smokestar looked ready to break down. "Why?"

Pheasantflight lowered her eyes. As much as she wanted to answer that question, she couldn't. TacoClan took a lot of losses then, but that was behind them now. They weren't TacoClan anymore. They were SmokeClan. "I'm sorry," she finally managed to say.

Smokestar sighed. "Don't be. It's not your fault that StarClan abandoned us. There was nothing any of us could do."

Pheasantflight's thoughts drifted to the rogues that had attacked them. More specifically, her thoughts were on Raindapple. The dilute tortoiseshell had joined the Clan soon after she had participated in the battle. She and Eveningclaw had claimed that she saved the tom's life, but Pheasantflight knew it wasn't true. She really didn't care, though. Eveningclaw was happy.

"Sometimes… Sometimes I wish that cats never died. I miss Spiderkit and Swiftwing. I miss Badgercloud and Flurrypelt. I miss… I miss Fishface." Pheasantflight sighed. "But life goes on, and no matter how much it hurts, I have to get over it. We all do."

"I know." The tom placed his tail on her shoulder and she smiled. He hadn't even questioned Fishface.

Smokestar was one of the few cats to understand what the nickname meant. He was there on that fishing trip, and he hadn't said a word. She was grateful for that, especially since she had given up the nickname for so long. The memories still hurt, but she had learned to move on.

"Some nights when I stay awake, I think about what would have happened if I had died instead of Spiderkit. I think of who he would have fallen in love with, and who his mentor would have been. I think about how different life would have been for the Clan. I wonder if Honeytail and Spiderpaw would have still joined the Clan then, and if Cedarwhisker would have killed Claw. I wonder if Cedarwhisker would have come back to life." The golden she-cat shook her head. "It's what keeps me up all night, wondering what would have been different."

Smokestar frowned. "What ever happened to the hyper apprentice you used to be?"

She shrugged. "Things change, I suppose. I grew up. I fell in love. I become someone else. I wish I could still be that same she-cat, but I can't. It's too hard."

"It shouldn't be. Not all cats have to change." The grey tom gave his own tiny shrug.

"Change is a part of nature," was all she said.

"I guess it is. Just look at Morninglight."

The golden she-cat used to flirt with every tom, available or not. She got around, as they said. However, she eventually settled down with a nice tom named Lightningstripe. When she lost him, she didn't continue in her flirting. She became a mother. No one ever expected that out of the she-cat.

Pheasantflight snorted. "Don't forget Spottedfeather."

The tom had abandoned the Clan in their greatest time of need, even though he was a loyal warrior. He was the last cat that Pheasantflight had expected to leave the Clan. He left for love, or at least that's what he told them before he left. No one really knew for sure.

"Yes, him too," Smokestar said with a small smile.

Pheasantflight cracked her own smile, before a yawn escaped her jaws.

"You should get some rest. We can go hunting tomorrow with Mousepaw and Minnowpaw. I'm sure Cinderpaw can tag along with someone else," he told her.

"I'm not tired," she argued, but another yawn escaped her, contradicting her statement. "I'll wake someone up," she quickly added, glancing at the warriors' den, where the sounds of sleeping cats could be heard.

"Then come sleep in my den if you're so worried." Smokestar flicked his tail towards the leader's den.

"Are you sure?" Pheasantflight asked, her grey eyes already showing signs of sleepiness.

"I am quite sure. Come along, Pheasantflight." Smokestar led her to the den. "You can have my nest, and I don't want to hear any buts."

Pheasantflight obediently curled up in the edge of the nest, and looked over to the leader. "I saved you some room."

Smokestar's blue eyes landed on the nest. "It's fine."

"I insist. If we're going hunting with Minnowpaw and Mousepaw tomorrow, you'll need to be well rested. I don't want to hear any buts." Pheasantflight thudded her tail on the nest, and finally Smokestar joined her, their pelts barely brushing.

Pheasantflight stayed awake until she could hear the steady breathing of the grey leader. Her grey eyes gleamed as she decided that she could sleep now. Thoughts slowly drifted through her mind as she fell into her slumber, and this time she didn't feel so ill.

**AN: 1614 words. :o I'm such a good writer. :D**

**This is a Valentine's Day present for my awesome TacoClan friends, who for some reason, ships Smoke/Phes. ****I do, too. *shot***


	12. Skeleton

Cats always asked Mousepaw why he lingered so close to his sister Minnowpaw. They always accused him of being an overprotective brother. They always told him that she was her own cat and that he was his. They told him to leave her alone so that she could make her own choices, but he couldn't. That was the one thing he could not do.

Many nights in his sleep, Mousepaw saw his dead mother and father. They looked down on him with eyes full of disappointment. "You're a disappointment," they told him. "You'll never amount to anything," they said. "You're not our son." One was worse than all the rest, though. "We don't love you."

He was determined to prove the monsters in his nightmares wrong. He worked hard to be the best warrior ever, but he was just an apprentice. There wasn't much he could do yet. Still, he told himself that he would be the greatest warrior ever

The day his father died, Mousepaw promised to protect Minnowpaw from every harm no matter the risk. It was his job, so he liked to think. He was her brother. He had to forever be there for her.

Sometimes his nightmares were filled with skeletons, whether they be of his mother, his father, or his sister. He screamed and screamed, but never could he save them. When he woke up, his short fur sticking up everywhere, he would check on his sister, but to be safe. Sometimes he even looked for his parents, even though he knew they wouldn't be there.

He couldn't bare to ever see his sister be hurt. Every time he lost track of her, there was a swirl of pain and concern in his stomach, every thought of what might have happened to her running through his mind. Is she dead? Is she alone? Is she hurt, calling his name for him to help her?

When he would find her, a million questions filled his mind, but she always gave him a small response. "I was hunting." "I was battle training." They were what she said, but all he heard was "You weren't there for me."

Occasionally he followed her. The mountains were a scary place, and he didn't want her to be alone. She wouldn't know he was following, but his golden eyes were always there.

He wasn't stalking her. Some cats told him that he was stalking her, but it wasn't true. He was just protecting her. That was his whole purpose in life, to protect her. Still, cats taunted him about the way he followed his sister around. He was just doing his job, and he didn't understand why they teased him.

In some of his dreams, Minnowpaw would be attacked by a ferocious beast. Each time, Mousepaw killed the beast, it turned into his beautiful sister. Each time, he told her he was sorry for hurting her, and each time, only a skeleton would hear his cries.

The tom was afraid of death. He was told that it was a stupid fear, but he was still afraid. He was afraid of the leader dying. He was afraid of his aunt dying. He was afraid of his sister dying. He was afraid of dying himself. He blocked out the memories of death during the day, but they all came flooding back during the night.

There were rare dreams where he'd be walking in the meadow feeling very thirsty. He would find a pond, but when he tried to drink from it, he did not see his reflection. He saw Minnowpaw falling in love with a strange cat, and then that cat killing her over and over again. He was frozen in place, forced to watch the murder over and over again.

His sister always told him, "They are just dreams, Mousepaw. I'm fine." He wanted to believe her, but he never could. He always saw innocence and love in her blue eyes, but all he saw in his golden gaze was fear.

He remembered small sleek Minnowkit, who used to whimper into Smokestar's shoulder. She was a scared kit back then, and he still sees that scared kit in the silver-and-white everyday. He saw those terrified blue eyes in the back of his mind, the only thing that haunted him during the day.

Mousepaw hated change. His aunt always told him, "Change is a part of nature. It happens to the best of cats." He didn't want change. Change took away his family. Change left his sister and him as orphans in a big world. Change made him the scared cat he was on the inside and the brave cat on the outside. He hated change, no matter what his aunt told him.

Sometimes he was told that he would make a great leader one day. He didn't believe it. He was too frail for the job. He had seen all of the stress that Smokestar went through. He didn't want to be like that. His nightmares would keep him away from any sort of position of importance. He didn't deny it. The truth came to him easily.

Minnowpaw hated to see him in so much despair. He could see it in her eyes when they spent time together. Behind the innocence and love, there was a cat that cared for him. He loved her for it, but sometimes he felt that she loved him too much. It was his job to protect her, not the other way around.

At times his sister would tell him that they have the day off. She never said why, but he knew the reason. She would talk to their mentors constantly about his 'problem'. She was worried, but he didn't want her to be. He tried to put all of the worry on his shoulders, but he knew it was too much for him. The weight was too big, yet he pushed on.

He had one nightmare that was different from the rest. All of his troubles were a giant mountain, bigger than the ones that surround their home. The mountain stood on top of him, crushing him underneath its massive weight. Mousepaw felt suffocated. As he struggled, a voice would speak to him. "Share your worries with others. They will help you through it. If you don't, it may be the end of you."

Of course, he hadn't listened to the dream. It was just a dream. However, he felt like sometimes it was true. He hated the extra responsibilities, but he had to protect his sister. That's all he ever wanted out of life, to keep his sister safe.

Though, he often dreamt that his mother and father were still alive, and that they were a happy family. He often wished that he could curl up with his mother when he was sad, or spar with his dad when he was bored. He often wished that he was in StarClan with them, but he could never leave his sister.

Mousepaw hated to dream. Some nights he stayed awake so that he wouldn't have to go through another nightmare. They were too much for him. They were too much and he hated it.

He always told him, "If you're going to be Minnowpaw's protector, you'll have to learn to live with the hardships. You have to train hard and forget about all of it." He couldn't, though. He acted like the big bag protector, but he wasn't.

All he ever wanted in life was to be himself. He couldn't do that, not with his parents gone. Minnowpaw needed him. He needed to save her. He had to stay with her. He had to live with her and love her with all his heart. He needed to be her protector.

Sometimes he wondered why it had to be him. Why couldn't it be their aunt? Why couldn't it be Smokestar? Why was it him? He was her sister. He was always there. When he opened his eyes, she was the first thing he saw. He loved her too much to not do this. He always realized this at the end of the day, not matter how much his head screamed for him to give up the act. All his promises would disappear.

Minnowpaw was always a bundle of joy in his life. She was the only thing that kept him from jumping off a mountain. The dreams haunted him, and she was always there to comfort him. She was his anchor to the real world, his life line, and he never wanted to leave her. He never wanted her to leave. She was his light in the darkness.

He knew, however, that one day they would become warriors. Mousefang and Minnowshine are what they always hoped for. He would lose his baby sister. He would fall in love with a beautiful she-cat and his sister would fall in love with a strong tom. They'd lose each other forever, no matter how hard they tried to not, and he would be a skeleton of what once was.

**AN- 1513 words. Bleh, this was bad. Very bad.**

**Mousey is my little Batman, trying to protect his sister from everything. Unfortunately, everything comes with a price. Poor thing is haunted. ;-;**


	13. Nothing

There was nothing to do. There never was anything to do. Not for this young she-cat. She only a few moons old, yet there was nothing for her to do. She wasn't one to play with others. She normally did nothing. It was a nice day, yet still she did nothing.

The sun found its way into the den as Vespa curled up in her nest, her father sleeping soundly nearby. She raised her head and looked towards her father with a pout. "Daddy, get up."

"Huh, what?" The tom raised his head, blinking his eyes furiously. "What's wrong, Vespa?"

"I'm bored daddy. I want you to tell me more about those fancy plants... Herbs?" Vespa crawled to her paws, eyes gleaming. "Like the, uh... yarrow and the... catmint!"

"Okay, honey. I'm up." The brown tom got to his paws and shook his fur. He smiled and led her out of the den.

"Now you know that you have to listen very closely, right?" her father asked.

"Of course, daddy. I always listen!" Vespa lifted her chin high, a smile on her face.

"Good. Now, where to begin? Ah yes, let's start with catmint." Her father's tail was pointing towards a patch of flowery plants. "Do you remember what it's used for?"

"It can be used to relieve congestion and coughs," she said immediately, perking up when her father nodded.

"Very good. What about those?" Her father pointed to another patch of plants.

"Those are burduck. The leaves are to clear infections and the roots are to draw infections," Vespa told him.

"Good, but not quite. It's burdock, not burduck. It's okay, though. You're still young." He gave her a quick lick on the ear before moving on.

"Did I tell you about that one?"

Vespa followed his gaze to a patch of flowers, and then shook her head.

"Those are called chamomile. It is soothing when consumed and helps with physical strength."

"Soothing," echoed the tortoiseshell. "So, when a cat is having a panic attack, you could you that?"

"Precisely," he father said with a nod. "Those over there are called poppy. The seeds are for pain and to help a cat sleep. The flower heads relieve coughs and the petals and leaves are a sleeping aid."

Vespa's yellow eyes caught sight of the plant and she nodded. "You gave me some when I stumped my paw on a stone," she said quietly. "I went straight to sleep."

"You did. You slept soundly through the night; the only sign that you were alive being your steady breathing." Her father gave her a quick lick on the ear.

"Daddy, you sound like you're telling a story," she said with a giggle. "But you don't tell stories. You teach me."

"I do teach you, because one day I won't be here, and you'll be all alone. You'll need to know how to take care of yourself." He paused and looked at her. "You know what I mean, right?"

"Yes, daddy." Her father constantly told her about the afterlife. That's where her mother was. When some cats die, they poof. They become nothing. Some cats believe that your spirit becomes a star in the sky. Other believed that you were reborn into another cat. Vespa believed the latter. Sometimes she thought that she was her mother reborn.

"Good." She was pulled right out of her thoughts. "Let's do some hunting. While we do that, tell me what you know about each prey."

Vespa nodded, and while she practiced her hunter's crouch, she recited to her father about squirrels and mice. She talked about the birds, and rambled about rabbits. She watched her father catch a jay, and quickly she told him about the different types of jays.

"You learn very quickly. I'm proud," her father told her when they were done hunting. Vespa had not caught anything, but her father held a jay and a mouse in his jaws. The jay was hers. Jays were her favorite. She liked to keep one of the feathers and stick it in her fur.

"Thanks, daddy," she purred, her yellow gaze on the clouds above them. They had been out for quite a long time. It was already sunset, and the clouds were starting to gather. "It's going to rain," she told him.

"How can you tell?" her father asked.

"The clouds. When they look like that-" She pointed to the clouds. "-that's when you know it's going to rain."

"I see…" her father's green gaze trailed to the clouds, and he gave the tiniest of nods. "I do see. I never noticed before."

"I study many things in nature," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving the clouds. "There are a lot of things you can learn. Even someone as young as me can learn a lot just by looking and listening."

"I'm proud of you," was all her father said.

Vespa smiled, and she dove into the den first, curling up in her nest. She bit back a yawn and took the jay from her father. She carefully plucked out a feather from its long tail and stuck it in her pelt. She nibbled on the jay, and slept soundly when she was full.

Vespa woke up to the sounds of shuffling paws. She cracked open one eye, and saw a brown pelt. "Daddy?"

"Vespa, how nice it is to see you."

Immediately she recognized that the voice was not that of her father's, and she leaped to her paws, fur bristling. "Where's my daddy?"

"Oh don't worry. He's sound asleep." The tom's green gaze trailed to the unmoving shape of her father.

Vespa ran to her father, and prodded him with her tiny paw. Her paw came back sticky. She sniffed it. Blood. "Daddy, get up. I need you to get up, daddy. There's a strange tom in here. I need you, daddy. Get up." When he didn't move, realization clicked in her mind.

She spun on her paws to face the stranger, but he was gone. She blinked a couple of times, wondering if the tom was just her imagination, but she soon shook away the thought. _Imagination is for kits. _

She turned to her father once more. "Bye, daddy," she whispered. She left the den without another word.

Her eyes flew shut when she realized how bright it was outside. A cold front had moved in overnight, something she did not expect, and all the rain had frozen to the ground, reflecting the bright sunlight everywhere. She opened her eyes, but they shut again when she saw what was in front of her.

Bloody paw prints trailed away from the den. She sniffed one of them. It smelled of her father's blood. A growl escaped her as she followed the trail. They ended soon enough, but she knew which way they were going.

The mountains. Big, scary, and much too far away for a kit as young as she. She didn't care, though. She had nowhere else to go, and the mountains could possibly serve as a shelter for. An abundance of prey and good shelter was just what she needed. She may even find friends there, someone to help take care of her.

She set off towards the mountains, alone and unafraid.

Vespa walked along. Occasionally, she heard rustling, but it was always nothing. Sometimes she thought she saw a brief glimpse of brown fur, or a flash of green eyes, but there was never anyone there. She just kept walking.

During the night she found shelter in a bush. She was still small, so she fit easily. She still heard rustling sounds, but when she looked around, no one was there. It was always nothing.

The brown tabby invaded her dreams. Sometimes it was just a flash of claws, and sometimes it was just a glimpse of his green eyes, but he was always there somewhere. Every time, however, Vespa heard her father telling her about cats moving on. Her father was in every dream.

She kept a schedule in her mind as she traveled to the mountains. Her mind registered it all, and it was always there. She had to wake up at sunrise. She needed to find travelling herbs if she didn't have any on her. If she did, she needed to eat them. She had to continue moving before sunhigh. She stopped when the sun began to set, and then she hunted. She went to sleep when the sun was no longer in view.

It took her almost an entire moon to get to the mountains. She was only five moons old, but she felt older. Her mind was more mature. She never spoke during the entire trip, so her voice was still squeaky when she did decide to speak. She rarely spoke, though. There was no reason to.

She continued to study the things around her. Even in the mountains, she learned. She observed other loners she saw. She studied the plants that grew, and learned each of them by name. Her mind grew, but she did not.

Still, Vespa was haunted by the brown tom. She still heard the rustling in the bushes. She still saw the brown fur and green eyes. There wasn't anything there, though. There never was. It was always nothing.

**AN: 1551 words. Meh, it wasn't my best. Opinion-wise, I think Ill was the best thing I've written so far. Ugh, I'm so tired.**

**I'm pretty pleased with this, though, since I wrote most of it at night. Night!Dough isn't a person you guys want to meet. :'D**

**Um… I think that's it. *insert a funny joke here***


	14. Servitude

"You are to be betrothed to a Stormblood prince."

The black-and-white she-cat growled, facing her uncle with a snarl. "No."

Pegard, the 'king' of the Coldbloods, raised his paw and struck Tifara's face. "You are to be betrothed to a Stormblood prince," he repeated, this time more sternly.

"No," Tifara repeated as she felt the blood drip down her face. "You cannot make me. I am not Quinn. I am not your pawn to use as you please."

The black tom snarled. "The Stormbloods expect an alliance. You will be this alliance."

"No, I will not. I _hate _Brishen. He is an ass and I refuse to be with him. He always calls me a whore and talks about how hot Quinn is," she said quickly, eyes flashing. "Brishen is no prince. Even Claw was a better prince than him."

"Do not talk to me about Claw," snapped Pegard. "I have told you time and time again that his name is to never _ever_ be mentioned."

"He is my brother and I will speak about him whenever I please." Tifara hissed and turned on her paws stomping away.

"Do not walk away from me, Tifara!" Pegard yowled after her. "I am not done talking to you! You will pay for this!"

She didn't hear him. She was mumbling under her breath. "Stupid Pegard. Stupid Brishen. Stupid princess life. Stupid Stormbloods. I hate them all. Quinn already had stupid kits with that stupid Bierce. I don't see why I have to be betrothed, too. I don't like toms. I don't like speaking like a proper princess. I hate being a princess."

She sighed and stopped running. She found herself in the meadow. It was her favorite place. "'Do not say don't.' He tells me. 'Say sir.' They say. 'It's a duty, not an option.' Quinn tells me. I'm sick and tired of it!" She slashed at the grass, her white paw covered in its 'blood'.

Tifara licked her paw clean, than continued her rant. "I hate the Stormbloods. I hate Brishen. He is a stuck up jerk who thinks he's special just because he's a prince. Well news flash, he's not the only prince in the world. He thinks I'm a slut because I haven't had a mate yet. Well geez, I wonder why. I'm not allowed to choose my mate. Pegard and his stupid rules won't let me. He has to choose for me.

"And he's always talking about how hot Quinn is. Quinn has a mate for gods' sake! She has two kits, and Brishen thinks she's in love with him. He's so stupid. He barely knows anything. If I told him that the sun was a squirrel he would believe me. He knows nothing!"

Her yellow eyes were flaring now. "I never get to make my own choices. I want to go hunting. I want to spar with Quinn. I want to play moss-ball with Claw. My claws never get dirty. Pegard is always making other cats do things for me. I want to be my own cat, not a stupid princess.

"Quinn is always telling me that it is important to be a proper she-cat. Well, I hate it. I can't stand it. I hate speaking properly. I hate trying to be nice to other cats. I can't stand toms. They're so disgusting."

She sighed, and buried her face in her paws. "I just want to be a normal cat."

"I know you do," a voice whispered from behind her.

Tifara lifted her head and turned to see her sister, Quinn. "Shut up," she snapped. "You know nothing but being proper. You learned it, I didn't."

Quinn padded close to her and pressed against her pelt. "Yes, I am a proper cat. However, I do agree that Pegard goes about all of this the wrong way. You have to be strong. You are a Coldblood princess. In our family, honor comes before all else."

"Fire, ice, honor," mumbled Tifara. "Yeah, yeah, yeah… I know. Why can't it be family first? Why does it have to be honor?"

"Honor has been a part of our family for generations. You can't change what already is, Tifara, no matter how hard you try." Quinn gave her a small nudge. "Come on. If you do not return soon, Pegard may have your head."

"I want to stay here tonight," she said quietly. "I hate Pegard. He can't make me be mates with Brishen. I'm not his servant. I am his family."

"It is the same thing to him," Quinn said quietly. "If you would like to stay here tonight, however, I will respect your wishes. I shall stay with you, if you like."

"No, no. It's okay, Quinn. Go back to the rest of the family. I'll be fine." Tifara flashed a small smile, but Quinn just frowned.

"If you say so, dear sister. I just… I do not want lose you like we lost Claw many moons ago." Quinn gave her ear a quick lick. "Be safe, sister, and return soon."

"I will," Tifara said as her sister walked away.

"I don't want to go back," she muttered. "I want to run away and never return. Maybe I can leave the mountains. I can go south. There may be nothing there, but that would be good. There would be no one to hurt me. There would be no Pegard, and no Brishen. There would be no Coldbloods and no Stormbloods. I would be alone, and I could be my own cat.

"Maybe I'll find Claw. He left so long ago. He went south. He told me before he left that he went south. I wonder what he found, if he's even still alive. I wonder if he found someone to love. Maybe he has lots of kits to love. I bet he's happy. He doesn't have to go through all the _crap _I have to."

Tifara blinked. It was getting dark fast. "I could leave right now if I wanted to. I would find Claw, and we could be a family together. I could meet his mate and kits, and I'll be happy. Maybe I'll fall in love, too. I'll have my own kits, and I'll treat them the way princes and princesses are supposed to be treated. They'll grow up to be much happier than me."

Tifara could imagine it. A strong, brave tom to love her and small, beautiful kits for her to love. It was all she ever wanted.

Soon, a thought came to mind. "If I leave… If I leave Pegard will use Aerith and Keagan. They deserve to have their own choices. As long as I am there, Pegard will not touch Quinn's kits. Aerith will not have to be betrothed to a horrible tom. Keagan will not be sold away like Bierce was. Keagan will be a fair king, not like Pegard the barbarian."

She snorted. "Pegard the barbarian. It's a great nickname for the evil tom." A real smile broke her face. "I'll teach Keagan and Aerith to hate him. They will never listen to him, and none of us will ever have to be servants ever again."

Tifara scrambled to her paws. "I am Tifara, princess of the Coldbloods, and no one pushes me around. I will not be mates with that awful Brishen. I will find my own mate and we will be together forever, even if he is a cat of a lowlife. I will have his kits, not Brishen's, and I will have the perfect family. I will never _ever _let Pegard harm them. The only cats they will listen to will be me and their future father."

Tifara began her walk home in the moonlight. Her thoughts swirled from early ramblings. She would go home and face Pegard like a princess. She would act the perfect princess for as long as it took. One day, she wouldn't have to do through all of this nonsense. She wouldn't have to put up with Pegard. She and Quinn will be best friends, and their mates will be best friends.

Aerith and Keagan will be the best of friends with her future kits. The family will be great. Her future kits, her princes and princesses, will be the greatest cats the mountains have ever known, and they will learn to be their own cats.

Tifara sighed as the home of the Coldbloods came into view. She could hear voices inside. One she immediately recognized as Pegard's. The other voice she soon recognized to be Bierce's. They were arguing. They argued a lot. She listened in.

"Pegard, I do not care about your honor. Tifara will never go through with this arrangement, and you know it to be true," Bierce said.

"I do not care! Tifara is a princess. It is her duty, as it was Quinn's duty to be mates with you," Pegard hissed.

"I chose to do this arrangement. My father would have never made me do it if I did not want to. The Firebloods are not like you Coldbloods." She heard Bierce sigh. "This is not a wise arrangement. I am certain that Tifara told you what Brishen does. He- Oh, hello Tifara."

Tifara had stepped into the light, she realized. She smiled. "Hello Bierce. Hello uncle." She walked past the toms.

"Tifara." She turned around to face Pegard. "Tifara, I expect you to be well rested. Tomorrow you will spend some time with Brishen, whether you like it or not."

"Yes sir." It came out immediately without and trouble. Tifara smiled slyly as she located her sister and curled up next to her.

"Welcome back," Quinn greeted.

"Thanks, sister." Tifara closed her yellow eyes, ready to fall asleep. She would listen to Pegard for now. Soon, however, she would no longer be his servant.

**AN- 1637 words in this one. :-P**


	15. Possibilities

_We're leaving the forest? No, no we can't leave. Mom is here. Spiderkit is here. Everyone is here. I can't just leave them. We can't just leave them behind and forget about them. The river. Fishface. I can't just leave all of those memories behind. I was born here, raised here. This is my home. I don't want to leave._

The announcement hit her much harder than she had thought it would. The Clan would be moving. They would be leaving the only home they had ever known. They would be leaving the camp, the Vast Conifer, the river, everything. Everything Pheasantflight had ever known would be gone.

Protests were all around her, but she knew Smokefrost. He was a stubborn tom, and no amount of arguing would get him to change his mind. That's why she stayed silent. Part of her hated the grey tom for wanting them to leave. The other part of her was okay with it. All of the memories of losing Fishface would be gone. She wouldn't have to deal with the pain anymore.

_But there is a possibility that the memories will always be there, _a voice whispered in her head. _They'll always be there, because you'll always love Fishface. The pain will always be there, because Fishface never loved you and never will._

_But if I had said something earlier, things might have been different,_ she argued.

_No. You're lying to yourself. He thinks of you as his best friend. Maybe even his sister, but not his lover. All of his love is for Featherstripe and his kits._

_But they aren't his. They can't be. He hasn't been alone with her. He's been with me. It's impossible. Something happened when she came back. Featherstripe was so scratched up. They aren't Ashfall's, but they aren't Cedarwhisker's either._

_You don't know that. Fishface is a big secret. He may be your best friend, but that doesn't mean he tells you everything. He will do anything for Featherstripe._

_Shut up!_

Pheasantflight shook her head. Why was she even arguing with herself? She can't change the past. She never could and never will. Not even Vetis could do it, no matter what the stories told of him.

_But he could. He's a demon. You could sell your soul and be with Fishface._

_But I'd only have a limited amount of time. I want to be with him forever. It wouldn't be fair._

_You could give him one of your kits. Then you could lie to Fishface and say a fox stole your precious kit._

_But I'd have to have a kit within ten moons. I can't push it on him._

_Yes you can._

_No I can't. Shut up!_

Pheasantflight tried to listen to what Smokefrost was saying, but she couldn't. The tiny voice in the back of her mind kept pestering her, and her tail was lashing furiously.

_Why can't you just admit that you want to be with him?_

_I already have! I've told him that I love him, but he doesn't love me back. I know this and things aren't going to change. That's in the past and my new life in our new home will give me a fresh start. Iceflower, Whitewhisker, and I will be the trio again. We can patrol together and train apprentices together, just like-_

_Just like Cedarwhisker did for you three._

_Shut up, I know that. That wasn't what I was going to say._

_Yes it was._

_Okay fine it was. Just leave me alone._

_You're the one talking to yourself._

_Oh right._

Pheasantflight sighed quietly. Smokefrost was still talking. She was just wanted to leave, but she couldn't. She couldn't leave during a meeting. Someone would follow her and ask her what was wrong. She didn't want to explain that she was crazy. She was talking to herself.

_Maybe I _am _crazy. It's a possibility._

_You aren't crazy. You're just sad._

_Yes, I'm sad. I'm also angry._

The golden she-cat's claws dug into the ground. She hadn't even realized they were unsheathed. Pheasantflight sheathed them, and felt eyes burrowing into her. Her eyes met Smokefrost's. He was still talking, but he had noticed her odd behavior.

_You should talk to him later._

_No, I shouldn't. When the meeting is over, I just want to curl up and die. Maybe I'll do that right now._

_No, don't do that. Maybe spending some time at the river will clear your mind. You love the river._

_I don't think I can handle it. I want Fishface with me._

_Then take him._

_I can't. He has Featherstripe now. He doesn't want to talk to me anymore._

_He promised you that you'd still be friends. Remember?_

_No._

_He promised he'd make time for you. He promised that he'd go fishing with you just to watch him fail. He promised._

_I don't remember._

_Then why are you telling yourself all of this?_

_I don't know!_

Her tail was thrashing even more. She quickly stilled it, but she was shaking. She mind quickly moved from Cedarwhisker to the Clan's move.

_Do you really want to move?_

_Of course I don't. Yet…_

_Yet what?_

_I don't know. Something about a new start sounds nice. I wouldn't mind. Daddy… Claw wasn't a very good father, and Spiderpaw wasn't a very good brother. They're both out there somewhere. Claw is dead, I know that, but I'm not sure about Spiderpaw. Who knows what happened to the little shit?_

_Somewhere in that head of yours, you know he's dead. It's a possibility._

_I know it is, but I don't want it to be. Honeytail and I are the only two left. The golden girls, I guess._

_You should feel lucky. Spiderkit died of greencough. You were a kit, too. You could have died, but you didn't._

_I know I didn't. I didn't die, yet I don't feel lucky._

_Well, learn to perk up. What ever happened to your awesome, epic, amazing, beautiful, hilarious, great, angelic, intelligent, a-_

_Get to the point._

_Okay, the point is that you used to be such a fun-loving cat. What ever happened?_

_I fell in love. Pheasantpaw is still there. She'll be back, trust me._

_You are trusted. If it was anyone else then no trust for you._

_What?_

_I have no clue._

Pheasantflight would have smashed her face against a boulder if there weren't so many cats around. Then she realized that there weren't that many cats around. _Oh, the meeting must have ended, _she mused.

_Duh. You were so buried in your thoughts that you didn't notice._

_It's your fault. I'm going to the river. Maybe I can sort out my thoughts and get rid of you._

_Yes, the river is very good. Come to terms with Fishface!_

_I can't do that unless he's there, stupid. I'm not inviting him to the river. I refuse._

Before she could answer herself- which sounded really awful since she shouldn't even be talking to herself like this- she left the camp and headed towards her sanctuary.

The river came in sight easily. The rain had already melted much of the ice, so it was easy for her to smash her paw into the soft ice and smash it. There weren't any fish. The river was exhausted. She could see her reflection in the water, and she frowned.

She couldn't recognize herself. The long, golden fur and dull grey eyes seemed to belong to someone else. She shook her head. This wasn't possible.

She tried to smile, to see if she was in there somewhere, but was unsuccessful. She frowned once more, and soon her paw struck the water, causing ripples.

She was still good ol' Phes, wasn't she? She _had _to be. She didn't know how to be anyone else.

_That's not true, and you know it._

_What do you mean?_

_Just think about it. After Fishface left, you became a completely new cat. You became depressed. You still are. Anyone else would have committed suicide._

_I'm not depressed, and would never leave Minnowkit and Mousekit- Oh my StarClan I forgot about them. How you I forget about my own niece and nephew! I'm so stupid!_

_You sure are._

_Shut up! _Pheasantflight struck the water once more. _I can be me again, if only just for them. Maybe… Maybe I'll fall in love again. Then I can be me forever. Fishface and I can be normal friends again- because seriously, everything will be awkward until then- and life will be just the way it was. I'll be happy._

_Great idea! Maybe you can also grow wings and learn to fly._

_Shut up! I don't need your sass. I can learn to be happy again. It's possible. I don't need your 'motivation'._

_What's motivation? All I know is sarcasm._

Pheasantflight snorted. _I don't need you. I will never need you._

_But-_

_No buts. I don't need you. You're just a figment of a cat I used to be. I don't need you to be here. It is possible for me to be me again, and you can go away now._

_But-_

_Didn't I already say no buts? Now go! I don't need to be talking to myself._

She waited, but the voice was finally gone. She smiled. She could be herself. She could prove the tiny voice wrong. She went back to camp with a smile on her face, the first smile she managed in a long time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1572 words. Bleh. :-P Originally, this was going to be about something else, but I ended up changing it. Seems okay, I guess.<strong>

**Just to clarify, Pheasantflight (Phes) had to Spider- brothers. Spiderkit was her littermate. He died from greencough. Spiderpaw is her half-brother, who was killed by a couple of cats. :D**

**The original idea was an Obama game except TacoClan version. Phes, of course, was going to be the murderer. :D**

**I've been writing about Phes a lot. *shrug* I guess I just love her too much. She's my favorite character and she's just so amazing. I love her. :3**


	16. Weightless

_Flying. She was flying. She felt free, more free than she'd ever felt before. Her wings were spread wide, and she soared through the cool air._

_ Below her, she could see the dark shapes of the snow-peaked mountains. Birds flew past her and animals grazed below, unaware that she was there._

_ The Clan was there, too. The hustle and bustle of everyday Clan life gave her a flutter of hope. They lived normal lives, now, or at least lives as normal as they will get. There were no rogues to bother them, and no famine to destroy them. They were happy, and she knew it._

_ She began to soar down, but stopped as she reached tree lines. What was she doing? She was just a bird, a prey to the Clan cats. Her blue feathers would be destroyed and gobbled up. Then she shook her head._

_ There was nothing to fear. She was a part of the Clan. She was Bluewing, a warrior of SmokeClan. She had nothing to worry about. They would not hurt her. She was a part of them._

_ She flew into the camp, and none of the cats turned to look at her. That's how it usually was. None of them liked the young blue jay. They all wanted her in their bellies, not in their Clan._

_ She found herself escaping into the nursery, where a golden cat was asleep, curled up around three bundles of fur. A quiet song escaped her, and the she-cat was roused from her sleep, a sleepy smile on her face._

_ "Bluewing!" the queen exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Long time, no see. Sorry I haven't been around. I've been busy." The golden she-cat's grey eyes trailed to the bundles of fur by her belly, and Bluewing's beady bird eyes followed._

_ The jay gave a chirp and flew over to the four cats. She landed lightly on the queen's shoulder and peered at the three tiny kits. Bluewing faced the queen and gave one more chirp._

_ "Their names," the cat asked. Bluewing nodded, and the she-cat smiled. "The golden one is Fishkit, the grey one is Pebblekit, and the tortoiseshell is Swiftkit."_

_ Bluewing chirped her approval, and flapped her wings._

_ "Leaving so soon?" asked the queen._

_ The blue jay nodded, and soon took off, leaving the golden queen to tend to her three kits. She left the nursery, and then left the camp. She found herself going to the meadow, a uncomfortable growl of hunger lingering in her stomach. She landed and searched the ground._

_ As she searched, pain shot through her wing, and she crumpled to the ground. She tried to run, but a pair of terrible teeth grabbed her wing and began to shake her. She let out a cry, and the attacker threw her to the ground. The last thing she saw before she passed out was a pair of cold blue eyes._

Pheasantflight lurched upwards, leaving her kits to mewl in protest. The golden queen shot out of the nursery and looked around madly for the hunting patrol, which had just returned. Her grey eyes locked on Smokestar, and she dashed to him. She looked at the bird in his jaws, and saw a blue feather. All the color drained from her as she stared at the bird in her mate's jaw.

Smokestar looked at her with a confused look in his cold blue eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I-is that Bluewing?" she asked, her voice quavering.

Smokestar set the bird down, and relief washed over her. This was not her bird. This was not her friend. This was a different bird. "Oh, thank StarClan," she muttered. "I had the worst dream ever, Smokestar. I was Bluewing, and she came to visit me in the nursery because I haven't visited her in a while. I introduced her to the kits, and she left. Then she was attacked by you, and... and..." She stopped.

There was a quick flash of concern in the tom's blue eyes, but it soon disappeared. "I would never hurt your bird friend. She's a part of this family now."

Pheasantflight purred. "Can we visit her when I'm out of the nursery? All five of us?"

"Of course. Whatever you want," he told her, the faintest of smiles gracing his normally cold features.

"They'll like that, the kits. They'll love Bluewing," Pheasantflight said quietly, a far, dream-filled look entering her eyes.

"I can visit her later, if you want," Smokestar offered.

"You don't have to make time for her," the golden queen told him. "You have enough to worry about already. I can ask Mousepaw and Minnowpaw to go. They love going there."

Smokestar smiled a true smile. "Go back to the nursery. I'm sure that the kits miss you already."

Pheasantflight flushed, embarrassed that she had left her kits all alone in the big nursery, awake and probably confused. "Make sure you visit later. They love seeing you before they go to sleep for the night." She nuzzled her mate's chest- the tom was still taller than her- and padded back to the nursery.

She entered the den as quietly as she could, her grey eyes glittering as she saw that her precious bundles of joys were fast asleep. She padded over to the kits and curled around them, licking Swiftkit on the head as she began to move.

They were enveloped in her warmth, and she felt happy and at peace as she fell asleep with them against her belly.

_There she was again, flying in the morning sky. The mountains seemed to move beneath her, but she was the one moving, not them. With her wings spread, she felt weightless._

_ Her trip to camp was different this time. Smokestar was in the nursery this time, telling the kits about the old territory. Pheasantflight had told her about the old forest dozens of times, but still she loved to listen._

_ "Your mother's favorite place was the river. She gave your uncle Fishface his nickname there," the grey tom was telling them._

_ "What's his real name?" asked Pebblekit, eyes widening as he glanced at his brother._

_ "Cedarwhisker," Pheasantflight told him._

_ "Do we have to call him Fishface?" piped up Swiftkit. "I like Cedarwhisker so much better."_

_ "You can call him whatever you want to. He won't mind," the golden queen told her kits._

_ "Well I'm gonna call him Fishface," said Fishkit, chest puffing out. "I'll be awesome, just like him. I want him to be my mentor." He looked to his dad expectantly, blue eyes pleading._

_ "We'll see," the grey tom assured his son, a small smile on his face._

_ None of them had seemed to notice the jay's arrival, so Bluewing perched onto a small nest and listened._

_ "What else happened at the river?" Swiftkit asked._

_ "I have many amazing memories of your uncle Fishface and that river. You're uncle Whitewhisker and aunt Iceflower spent many a-happy moments there with us." The golden she-cat was purring. Bluewing could hear the rumble from where she perched._

_ "Tell us about the Vast Conifer!" Pebblekit said._

_ "Oh, so you still remember the Vast Conifer?" Smokestar asked, his eyes gleaming with pride._

_ "Of course. We remember everything you tell us," the grey kit mewed._

_ "Oh really now?" The golden queen licked her grey son's ear. "Then tell me, oh smart one, who is Swiftkit named after?"_

_ "Uh... Your sister, right? Cousin Mousepaw and Minnowpaw's momma?"_

_ Pheasantflight shook her head. "No. You're thinking of Badgercloud."_

_ "I remember! I'm named after your momma, Swiftwing," the she-kit piped up._

_ Pheasantflight purred. "Very good. I'm glad you remember."_

_ Pebblekit was steaming. "Can you just tell us about the Vast Conifer now?"_

_ "Of course I ca-"_

_ "No! It's just a boring ol' tree. I want to hear about how uncle Fishface saved mom from her evil daddy," said Fishkit._

_ "Yeah! I'd much rather hear about that," Swiftkit mewed._

_ "Sure, I suppose."_

_ So Pheasantflight told the tale, and Bluewing listened with contentment. The blue jay smiled, and left when the golden queen was finished with her story. She found herself going back to the meadow._

_ This time, however, she knew that she wouldn't be attacked. All the cats were in camp. She saw them all before she had left. She sang in the meadow as the sun began to set, and she sang for longer._

Pheasantflight woke up to moonlight flooding the den. She glanced at the kits, who were fast asleep, and decided that they would be fine without her for a few hours. She left the nursery, and then left the camp.

She found herself at Bluewing's tree. She curled up underneath, and she began to sing the song from her dream. Voices soon joined hers, and they sang in harmony. It was a song of flight, and it made the golden queen feel like she was flying again. It made her feel happy and free. It gave the she-cat the best feeling in the world, the feeling of being weightless.

**AN- 1500 exactly. xD**

** Yes, Bluewing is a bird. She's just a bird that Phes watches. It gives her something to do. She thinks Bluewing is beautiful and just loves her. She had a couple of dreams as the bird. :3**


	17. Just Say It

The golden warrior blinked open grey eyes. Where she was, she could not remember. The small dugout den was unfamiliar to her, and then she remembered.

She crawled out of the den and stretched her legs. The sounds of birdsong reached her ears. The loudest and most beautiful came from her blue jay friend, Bluewing. She smiled, and softly called up, "Good morning, Bluewing."

The birdsong paused for a moment, as if the bird recognized her name, her voice, but it soon continued, the song reaching her eager ears once more.

Pheasantflight had stayed the night here. It was the first time she had ever done this. It was very windy outside, and she was worried about the bird. She had told Smokestar before she left, and she dug the den out easily. It had taken no time at all.

She needed to talk to the bird. She was the only one who would always listen to her. She had something no other cat could know about, not yet at least. The bird listened, but now advice was given to the she-cat when she needed it most.

She had considered asking Iceflower for advice. Her best friend- pretty much her sister- was a great listener, and would have been able to give her advice on this, but the she-cat could be a horrible gossip sometimes, and she didn't want word leaking. Not yet, at least.

Pheasantflight sighed, the sound of rustling grass yanking her out of her thoughts. Her grey eyes were filled with alarm, until they caught sight of a familiar grey pelt. "Good morning," the she-cat greeted.

"Good morning. I thought you would have come back to camp by now." Smokestar settled down next to the golden she-cat, and she smiled.

"I guess I woke up later than I had planned," she said, her gaze sweeping over the nearby water. The water rippled, and the reflection of the shining sun made the warrior squint.

Smokestar gave her a small smile. "How was Bluewing?" he asked.

"She was fine. Her nest lasted all night, and she sang in the morning, as always. I think she's still singing." Pheasantflight flicked her ear, listening to catch any sounds of her jay's song, but caught none. "Okay, never mind. Don't listen to me; I don't know what I'm saying."

Smokestar gave a low and raspy chuckle. "I bet she stopped just for you."

The golden she-cat shrugged. "Knowing her, she probably did." It felt good to talk about Bluewing as a normal warrior. Pheasantflight enjoyed it, and if she had to talk to anyone about Bluewing, she was glad that it was her mate.

Smokestar's blue gaze met her grey one, and the tom stood up. "Come on, you need a proper rest in a proper nest."

Pheasantflight snorted, but she got to her paws. "I'm coming." She followed the tom back to camp, thoughts racing through her mind.

She settled in her nest after letting Mousepaw and Minnowpaw know that she would not be hunting with them today. She curled up tightly, and tucked her face into the space between her legs. She fell asleep like that, curled into her tight little ball.

_Pheasantflight found herself in the meadow. She was there, and she was aching all over. There were no wounds or anything, just an ache that spread throughout her entire body._

_She stood up, and the pain disappeared. It was replaced with the shadowy feeling that she was being watched. She looked around and around, but she could see no one._

_Then, a dark shape appeared, looming over her like a mountain. "Claw?" she sputtered, fearing wide in her eyes._

"_Yes." The voice was low and raspy, but she could tell that the voice did not belong to her father._

"_Badgercloud?" she asked, hope in her voice. The shape tackled her to the ground, and a nose touched hers. A pair of golden eyes peered down at her, and a smile graced the golden cat's face. "It is you! Sister, I've missed you so much."_

"_I missed you, too, Pheasantflight. Thank you for taking care of my kits. Flurrypelt and I really appreciate it." The black-and-white she-cat nuzzled her, and scrambled off of Pheasantflight._

"_No problem. You would have done the same for me if I had kits." Pheasantflight gave a small shrug. "What brings you to my dream this fine morning?"_

_Badgercloud snorted. "Always the joker. I came to talk to you. You know the reason why."_

_The golden she-cat nodded. "Thank StarClan. All I've had to talk to is Bluewing, and she's no help at all!"_

_Badgercloud laughed. "Of course she isn't. Who would have thought that you of all cats would have to ask a bird for advice?"_

"_Hey, she's a good listener," snapped Pheasantflight. "So, are we going to talk about this or not? I could use some advice. I need to tell him. If I don't, he won't know until the day it happens!"_

"_Okay. Calm down, calm down. Listen, you just have to say it. It has to be direct. Smokestar is a direct kind of cat, and he expects you to be direct with him. Dire-"_

"_I get it. Be direct. You don't have to spend an eternity explaining it to me. Who knows when I'll wake up?" Pheasantflight's grey eyes gleamed._

_Badgercloud rolled her eyes. "I guess that's it, then. Be direct. Just say it. You have confirmed it with Shadyfern, right?"_

"_Of course. I'm not a kit anymore, Badgercloud."_

"_I wouldn't be too sure about that." She winked._

"_Why you little-" Pheasantflight tackled her starry sister, batting at her with her paws. Her sister pushed her away, and she landed on the ground with an oomph. Her legs were splayed out, and for a moment she was dazed, unable to move. Her world was spinning, and for a moment, she could have sworn she was seeing stars. _Oh wait.

_Badgercloud laughed, and soon the golden she-cat's voice joined hers. They laughed for a long time, and even as the dream began to fade, she laughed._

Pheasantflight shot upwards, her grey eyes wide with alarm. Her sister visited her! _Thanks for the advice, sis. _She shot out of the den.

She could see the leader about to leave with Mousepaw, Minnowpaw, and Shimmertail. That was the hunting patrol she was supposed to go on. She ran over just in time to stop Smokestar. "Smokestar, I need to talk to you later," she whispered into his ear. "Meet me by Bluewing's tree. Please?"

Smokestar nodded. "Go back to sleep," he whispered back. "You look terrible."

"Well gee, thanks." Pheasantflight gave the grey tom a small nuzzle before returning to the warriors' den for a much needed nap.

That night she found herself at Bluewing's tree. She sat by the base, her tail curled around her paws. Her grey eyes scanned the clearing for her mate's grey pelt. When she finally found him, her eyes lit up.

"You made it," she said quietly, voice beginning to quaver with nervousness.

"Of course. I would have never left you here to wait for me." Smokestar sat down next to her, their pelts brushing. "I'm actually glad you asked me to meet you here. I needed to talk to you as well. This is important, and I do not wish to keep this from you any longer."

"Smokest-"

"Please, let me speak." His blue eyes met her grey eyes, and she knew he was super serious. "When I went to go get my nine lives, I rejected StarClan. I did not receive nine lives, but I still took the name. You out of all cats deserve to know."

Thoughts whipped around Pheasantflight's mind. _Wow, what a plot twist. He doesn't have nine lives. He won't live with me forever. He rejected StarClan. We won't be together forever. He- _Her thoughts stopped abruptly. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry, I- Wait, excuse me?" Smokestar's eyes widened with surprise.

"I said that it's okay. You don't have to have nine lives to be a great leader. You already are. You're _my _leader." She gave him a reassuring smile, and nuzzled him.

"Thank you, Pheasantflight." A smile was on his face immediately.

"It's perfectly okay, because I've been keeping something from you, too."

"Oh, really?" Smokestar's smile faded, replaced with a look of curiosity.

"I-" _Just say it. _The words echoed in her head. Badgercloud's words. _Just say it. _"I'm pregnant, Smokestar."

A look of complete shock passed onto the grey tom's face. He stared at her, and for a while, he was unable to speak. Finally, he managed to say something. "I- That's _amazing_."

"I love you," Pheasantflight purred as she rested her head against her mate's chest. "You'll be a great father to them. Just like you were to your kits before them. Just like you were to Mousepaw and Minnowpaw."

Smokestar smiled, and they stood like that for the rest of the night, an understanding passing between the two of them.

_Just say it._

**AN- 1506 words. Yay me!**


	18. Last Words

Sick. He was sick again. Nowadays, the young tortoiseshell was always sick. He was a weak little thing, a tom that shouldn't exist.

Lightpaw chatted excitedly. She was his company. He was young, and though his siblings had already begun to talk, he kept silent.

"When you're an apprentice, we'll train together. Then when we're warriors, I'll be Lightstar and you'll be my trusty deputy, Leafheart. We'll be unstoppable together," the golden she-cat was saying. "We'll be the best leaders the Clan has ever seen."

Leafkit smiled, and a purr escaped him, the deep rumble familiar to him.

"It'll be great. You promise we'll be leader and deputy together?" the golden apprentice asked.

Leafkit nodded. Of course he would promise.

"We'll defeat wolves and foxes, just the two of us. We'll be the best fighters, the best hunters, and the smartest cats in the entire world! No one will be able to stop us. Every enemy will fear us. Every kit will want to be us. Your siblings and my siblings will be so jealous of us," chattered the she-cat. "You're mom and dad will be super proud, and so will mine."

Leafkit smiled. Normally he just listened to the she-cat ramble on. He never spoke. A wrack of coughs escaped him, and he turned away from the apprentice so that she wouldn't catch his sickness.

"Oh Leafkit, are you okay?" Lightpaw asked, concern filling her eyes.

The kit nodded, his fluffy tail trashing.

Lightpaw frowned. "I hope that you get better soon. I miss playing with you. Lionpaw won't play with me, and neither will Lightningpaw. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Leafkit shook his head, his fur starting to bristle as more coughs wracked his body. He got to his paws and stepped away from Lightpaw.

"Hey!" Lightpaw scrambled to her paws and rejoined Leafkit. "I'm not gonna get sick, if that's what you're afraid of. Listen, I have to go. I promised my mom I would go hunting with her. I'll be back tomorrow. I promise." She nuzzled the tortoiseshell tom, and then left the den.

Leafkit frowned. _Bye_, he thought before curling up in his nest, wishing for the warmth and comfort of his siblings. He fell asleep that night, dreams of being a normal tom like his brothers drifting through his mind.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Leafkit almost jumped out of his fur as a voice called into the den. He looked around for Shadyfern, but didn't see the medicine cat. His eyes did catch a golden figure standing at the mouth of the den.

"Sorry, did I scare you? My bad. Are you feeling better? Shadyfern said you could come outside if you were feeling better." Lightpaw had a squirrel in her mouth. "I brought this for us to share. I caught it all by myself."

Leafkit nodded, and his tail went to his throat.

"Thirsty?" she asked. When he nodded, she beamed. "Good thing I brought this, too!" She dropped the vole and turned around, grabbing a piece of moss. "I soaked it with water so that you would have something to drink. I thought ahead."

Leafkit smiled and raced outside, grabbing the vole on his way out. He shot away from Lightpaw as she called after him. He finally stopped, thirsty and out of breath.

"Excited to be outside, huh?" Lightpaw asked as she tossed her water-soaked moss at him. "Of course you are. It's a nice day today."

Leafkit drank the water from the moss eagerly, only half listening to his friend. He looked up, and his mismatched eyes caught sight of the squirrel. His stomach growled.

Lightpaw giggled. "I guess you're hungry, too. After all that running, I am, too. Let's dig in!" She grabbed the squirrel and pulled it close enough so that they could both reach it. "You can have the first bite."

Leafkit smiled his thanks as he took a bite from the squirrel. The flavor shot through his mouth, and he quickly took another bite from the piece of fresh-kill.

Lightpaw laughed and pulled the prey away just as he reached for another bite. "Slow down, speedy. I'm hungry, too."

Leafkit flattened his ears, his fur flushing in embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed, Leafkit. You were just hungry. I caught it for you anyways. Go ahead, eat. I'll finish off what you don't eat," Lightpaw told him cheerily.

Leafkit grabbed the squirrel from the golden apprentice and began to eat, chewing noisily as the she-cat rambled on about her day.

"Momma took us all hunting today. She had our mentors give us the day off so we could spend time together. Lionpaw didn't want to come, but he never wants to come. He likes to flirt with all the she-cats. He's super annoying. Lightningpaw was good company, though. He didn't say much, but that's okay. We all caught something. I caught that squirrel. Lightningpaw caught a bird, and so did Lionpaw. Momma caught a couple of mice. She's so much better at this than we are, but she's a warrior, so that's okay." Lightpaw stopped, and she smiled at Leafkit. "Momma said that when you are an apprentice, she'll take us out hunting."

Leafkit smiled, and pushed what remained of the squirrel to Lightpaw.

"Thanks," she said as she began to eat. "When are you going to start talking, Leafkit?"

Leafkit shrugged.

"When the time is right, I bet. Momma said I was the last one talking. I guess we're similar like that, huh?" Lightpaw giggled. "It's funny. I was the last one talking, yet I'm the only one that ever talks between the two of us. Then again, you're the last one to talk in your family, too. Maybe it's just the amazing cats that talk last."

Leafkit purred.

"See, you at least purr. It counts, doesn't it?" she asked.

The tom shrugged.

"Well I think it does. So then I guess you're already talking, just not words. Sounds count," the she-cat purred. "Do I talk too much?"

Leafkit shook his head.

"Great. Lionpaw says I talk too much, but I guess that's because I'm always talking to you. You're a great listener, after all. I bet Lionpaw is just jealous because you're not his friend." Lightpaw laughed. "He thinks he's a god, brought by StarClan to bring beauty and grace to all the she-cats of the world."

Leafkit smiled. _That's hilarious._

"Lionpaw's a funny cat sometimes. He can also be a real jerk sometimes. Is he ever mean to you?" Lightpaw frowned.

Leafkit shook his head. He usually avoided the older tom, not wanting the golden apprentice to make fun of him or his siblings. He didn't like Lionpaw, but he would never tell that to Lightpaw. The two were siblings, and he had to get over it eventually if he was ever going to be her deputy.

"Good. I would claw his face off if he was ever mean to you. I can't stand him sometimes! He isn't as high and mighty as he thinks." Lightpaw's tail began to thrash. "You won't tell him that, right?"

Leafkit shook his head once more.

"Of course you won't. That one of the best parts about you. I can tell you anything, and you won't tell anyone else what I told you." Lightpaw smiled.

Leafkit purred, but his body began to shake as he coughed violently.

"Leafkit, are you okay?" the golden apprentice asked.

Leafkit tried to nod his head, but more coughs found their way into his system. His fur was bristling, and the coughs wouldn't stop.

"I'll go get Shadyfern!" Lightpaw jumped to her paws and zoomed away to find the dark she-cat.

Leafkit watched her go, his mismatched eyes full of fear. His coughing grew worse, until he eventually passed out, unable to take such violent movements.

"-might not make it this time."

"Why not? He's not going to StarClan, is he?"

"He might. I'm sorry, Lightpaw. If you want to see him, now is the time."

"Thank you."

Leafkit could hear the pawsteps of a cat approaching. His eyes cracked open just enough to see his best friend, Lightpaw.

"I'm sorry, Leafkit. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have taken you outside. I got you sick again, and you might die and it's all my fault." Lightpaw collapsed next to him, burying her muzzle into his thick fur.

Leafkit nuzzled the golden she-cat.

Lightpaw looked up, and she seemed to understand. "No, it's not okay. You're going to go to StarClan, and it's all my fault. We won't be leader and deputy together, and it's all my fault. We won't be best friends forever, and it's all my fault."

Leafkit shook his head.

Lightpaw looked ready to burst. "I'm so sorry, Leafkit. I'm so, _so _sorry. I promise that you can be leader if you just pull through. Please. I can't do this without you. You're my best friend, Leafkit. I don't want you to leave. I want you- no, I _need _you to stay here with me. I need you to."

Leafkit licked the golden apprentice's ear. "I love you, Lightpaw," he whispered, and then he was engulfed in darkness.

**AN- 1530 words. :3**

**Damnit, this made me sad. I think I'm gonna eat goldfish for a while and take a break from writing. ;-;**


	19. Immature

"Immaturity is just a state of mind. Conquer it, and you can defeat any enemy."

A young brown tom-kit stared at his father, confusion masking his green eyes. "I don't get it. What does immaturity have to do with anything?"

"Jericho, long ago our ancestors gave our family a task. Two sons and two daughters were to be born to each family, and each was to be given a specific task at life. One daughter became a kit-bearer, to continue the family line of another family. One daughter was to never take on a mate, to take of the sick and helpless in the family. One son was to be the hunter, to provide food for the family. One son was to be the fighter, the protector. That is you. Like you, I was chosen to be the fighter in the family. I-"

"What does that have to do with immaturity?" Jericho asked, his tail lashing.

"I'm getting to that. Let me speak, and all shall be revealed, son." His father sighed. "It was decided that one trait would be taken away from each cat. From the kit-bearer, respect would be taken away. From the cat of healing, love would be taken away. From the hunter, pride would be taken away. From the fighter, immaturity would be taken away. Each had a purpose, for if that trait was not taken away, the cat's purpose in life would never be fulfilled. You're mother Eva, for example, was taken away her respect. She is a kit-bearer, and is only used for that purpose. She is the lowest on the food chain, as is your sister Bhavani. If they were given respect, they could not concentrate on their duties."

"But I respect momma. She tells nice stories about ancient cats that saved the world from darkness, and she feeds me. She comforts me when I'm alone, and keeps me warm when it is cold outside," said the small kit.

His father growled. "That's not respect."

"It's not? Then what is it?"

"That is something you will learn when you're older, Jericho. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. I remember. Up next on the food chain would be the healers, like your sister Rochelle. Since they could not take on a mate, they were mostly seen as useless. But, they were also respected, for it is their choice if you live or if you die. Your sister Rochelle and your aunt Asa are the only two cats who know what to do when one of us is hurt of injured. They cannot love, though, for love will make their powers blind.

"Next up is the hunter. Your brother, Orion, is a hunter, as is your uncle, Perseus. There is a chance we could starve to death if it wasn't for them. We the fighters have the ability to hunt, but not for a large family. Our skill is not hunting. Orion is a marvelous hunter, so I am told. They cannot be too prideful, for if they are, their hunting skills will be shabby."

"Ori brought me back a squirrel a while back. He caught it himself," Jericho told his father.

"So I've heard." His father nodded. "You and I, we are fighters. Our sole purpose in life is to protect our family, to make sure no harm befalls them. To let our family be injured or die is to fail our life. Our spirits would be doomed in the afterlife. We-"

"Averill, this is a lesson on fighting, not on the afterlife. Do not fill the boy with such silly notions," came a raspy voice.

Jericho's father lifted his head, and both toms turned to see Perseus. "Hey, Uncle Percy!" Jericho greeted.

Averill glared at his son. "You mean, 'hello, Uncle Perseus', don't you?"

"Oh, yes. I do. Forgive me Uncle Perseus. I do forget my place sometimes," Jericho told his uncle.

"You are forgiven, young one," said the tom before turning to Averill. "Averill, please remember what this lesson is about. The boy does not need to know about such silly stuff. Immaturity is just a state of mind, as is the afterlife."

"Wait, don't I get a say in this? I'm on the top of the food chain, and I deserve to know, right?" Jericho asked.

Averill smirked. "Ah, you are learning very well, my son. So be it, you will learn about the afterlife, but not this time. Next time. You will have to remind me, son. Can you do that?"

"Of course I can, father," the tom-kit said with a nod.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse us, Perseus, we have a lesson to get back to."

"Very well. Orion and I expect you two later. We have caught an exceptional meal." With that, Perseus took his leave.

Jericho turned to his father. "You were saying something about our spirits being doomed in the afterlife if we fail our purpose."

"Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me, Jericho. I do tend to forget sometimes. As I had been saying, our purpose is the only thing we live for. The kit-bearers, the healers, the hunters, and the fighters were born for a specific purpose.

"As this discussion had started, you were wondering about immaturity. I do admit that I was getting a bit sidetracked." Averill shrugged. "Immaturity is a kit's state of mind. A kit cannot fight, but a full grown cat can. When all the kit thoughts are out of your head, you will be a great fighter, able to defeat all of us with a single swipe of your paw."

"So I'll be able to defeat you and Uncle Perseus?" Jericho asked.

"Of course. You will be the strongest of us all, and you will be able to take on all of us, even at the same time." Averill smiled and got to his paws. "Follow me. Let us try to get some battle training in before we join Perseus and Orion."

"Yes, let's," Jericho agreed with a nod. He scampered after his father, easily keeping up with the larger brown tom. As they walked, he could see a dirty white and grey cat far away. "Father, who is that?"

"No one you need to concern yourself with, son." Averill led the tom-kit to a tall tree, and stopped. "Today's goal: Climb this tree. This will build leg strength."

Jericho's green eyes trailed upwards, trying to measure the height of the tree. "It's so big. I don't think I can climb the whole thing before it gets dark."

"You don't have to climb the whole thing. Not yet, at least. Just to the first branch," the tom told him.

"Oh, okay. I can do that." Jericho's eyes locked on the first branch. "Maybe…" he added. The tom-kit bunched up his hindquarters, and leaped.

He gripped the tree with his tiny kit claws. He could feel himself slipping, so he quickly began to climb. His eyes flashed with determination as he branch grew closer, but his hind paws slipped, and he crashed to the ground with a loud thump.

"Are you alright, son?" Averill asked as he padded over to his fallen son.

Jericho blinked, and jumped to his paws. "I'm fine. Aunt Asa and Rochelle can take a look at me later."

His father nodded. "Try the tree again."

Jericho nodded and began to scramble up the tree once more. His green eyes were locked on the first branch once more, and as he began to feel himself slip again, he managed to grab a hold and continue climbing.

He grabbed the branch with his tiny paws and pulled himself up. He stood on the branch, feeling triumphant. He looked down at his father, who was smiling.

"Great job, son. I am proud of you. Now, what goes up must come down."

Jericho's eyes were on the ground, and in moments, his fur was bristling. _What goes up must come down. What goes up must come down. _His claws were gripping the branch with all his might. _Immaturity is just a state of mind. Immaturity is just a state of mind. _His eyes were wide. _Fear is just an illusion. Fear is just an illusion._ He took the daring leap.

He flew through the air, twisting and turning as he tried to keep his paws facing downwards. A small scream escaped him, and he landed on the ground. "Ow…"

"Are you okay?" came his father's voice.

"Yes, I think so." Jericho got to his paws, his legs wobbling. He was feeling a little dizzy, but he soon shook away the feeling. "Next time I'm climbing down. No more jumping off of trees for me."

Averill chuckled. "Of course not. Come now, son. Rochelle and Asa will take care of you, and then Orion and Perseus have a meal waiting for us."

Jericho nodded, and followed his father, his tiny kit paws aching with each step. By the time they got back, he had developed a limp. Rochelle and Asa patched him up, and he shared a meal with his father.

As they ate, Averill looked to his son and asked, "What did you learn today?"

"Immaturity is just a state of mind. Oh, and no more jumping off of trees."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1541 words in this one. Awesome.<strong>

**This is why Jericho was able to easily overpower his family. It's in his blood. His purpose in life is to be a fighter.**

**And that cat he saw, the grey and white one, was Izzy.**

**Perseus is Averill's brother, and Asa is Eva's sister. They all live together so they can teach each other stuff. True story.**


	20. Blazing

_Fire. There was fire everywhere. She didn't know why she was seeing fire, but she was. It surrounded her. It scorched everything in its path, and it was coming straight for her._

_No, not her. It was someone else. _She_ was someone else. Her fur was too long. Her fur wasn't the right color. It was still ginger, but not the right shade of ginger._

_And she was in pain. The pain shot through everywhere, and it hurt. There was a twoleg crouched over her. She recognized the twoleg, but only from pictures. It was her twoleg's deceased mate, she soon realized. Then it hit her._

_She was dreaming. She was living what her mother had gone through. The nest was on fire, and she- as her mother- was giving birth._

_She struggled as the pain rippled through her. She yowled and yowled, while the twoleg crouched over her spoke to her in a soothing voice she did not understand. She couldn't stand it. The smoke was beginning to make her eyes water._

_Another cat was there. A dark-colored tom stood nearby. She gestured for the tom to come over, and he did. In a voice she did not recognize, she told him, "I won't make it. I need you to take care of these kits for me."_

_The tom shook his head. "You'll be fine, and we'll take care of these kits together."_

_She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shark." More ripples came and went, and soon she had birthed three kits. One black kit, just like the father, and two ginger kits, just like the mother._

_She was weak now. She looked at the kits with a weak smile. "Name them, Shark."_

"_I'll name the two toms. You name the she-kit," the black tom told her. "The black tom will be Scorch, and the ginger tom with be Ember. Who will the ginger she-kit be?"_

"_Her name will be Fiora." She looked up at Shark. "Take them outside. Please. Miss and I can get out on our own."_

"_Are you sure?" Shark asked._

"_Yes. Go, and hurry. The kits won't be able to handle this much smoke." As Shark took the kits away, the fire began to grow closer, blazing with intensity worthy of the sun. She watched as Miss fell over. "You just couldn't leave me, could you? Thank you for staying with me." She managed to crawl over to the fallen twoleg and curl up with her, before her world turned black._

Fiora shot up, her fur bristling and her breaths coming in pants. She looked around for her father, and ran over as fast as she could. "Daddy! Daddy, get up!"

Shark cracked open an amber eye. "What is it?" he asked.

"I just had a dream. You were there, and so was mommy. There was a huge fire! It burned everything, but you escaped with Scorch and Ember and me, so we were okay. But mommy wasn't. She wasn't okay. She and that twoleg weren't okay," the she-kit told her father.

The black tom's eyes widened with surprise, and he sat up. "That's how your mother left us, you know. A big, blazing fire took away after she gave birth to the three of you. She was too weak to leave to house, so she stayed with Miss, the twoleg that you saw."

"How come I was able to see it though, daddy? I wasn't there to see mommy leave us." Fiora frowned. "But I guess I'm glad. Mommy was in a lot of pain. I'm not sure why, but I hope she's not in pain anymore."

"Of course she isn't. She's watching over us, and she'll always be with every one of us." The black tom's thin tail poked her chest. "She'll always be in our hearts."

Fiora nodded. "Of course, daddy! I bet she sent me that dream so that I would know why she had to leave us. I bet mommy wants me to tell Scorch and Ember so that they can understand why she left us, too."

Shark smiled. "Go wake them up and tell them, then."

Fiora nodded and dashed over to where her mismatched siblings slept. She jumped on top of them, leaving them to groan in complaint.

"Fiora, what are you doing?" demanded Ember groggily as he pushed her away.

"I'm waking you two up. I have a story to tell about mommy!" she announced proudly.

Scorch cracked one eye open. "Mommy? But we never met her. How would you have a story about her?"

"Beca-ause, I had a dream. Daddy said it really happened, too. Mommy sent me the dream so I could tell you two. She left us for a reason," Fiora told them.

"I doubt it," mumbled Ember. "But tell us anyways. I want to hear this mousedung you came up with."

"It's not mousedung. It's truth!" Fiora argued, but continued anyways. "The nest was on fire, and mommy was in a lot of pain. Miss was crouched over her, trying to comfort her, I think. Daddy was there, too."

"Where were we?" asked Scorch.

"We weren't there yet, silly. Now let me finish. Like I said, mommy was in a lot of pain. The fire was devouring everything! Daddy sat nearby, and mommy told him to come over. She told him that she wasn't going to make it, and to take care of us. She gave birth to us, which caused her even more pain, and they named us. Daddy named you two, and mommy named me. Mommy-"

"Wait, what do you mean mom named you? What makes you so special that she didn't name us?" demanded the ginger tom-kit. Ember was mad. It was obvious in his amber eyes.

"Beca-ause, daddy told her to name me. Duh." Fiora stuck her tongue out at her insensitive brother, than continued once more. "She told daddy to take us to safety, so he left with us. Mommy stayed with Miss. She curled up with Miss and they both left. Miss was in a lot of pain, too, I think. Mommy was definitely in a lot of pain. I think she's happy now, and no longer in pain."

"You can't know all of this from a stupid dream," growled Ember. "You're just trying to get attention, as always."

"No, it's all true!" argued the she-kit. "I'm not a liar. I never lie."

"Sure you don't." Ember rolled his eyes. "Give me a break, Fi. You lie about everything. You're just a little attention whore."

Fiora's eyes widened. "I'm telling daddy!"

Ember growled and tackled Fiora to the ground as she began to run. His eyes were blazing, blazing with the intensity to match the fire that took away their mother oh so long ago. "Do it and I'll shred you to pieces," he hissed.

Fiora struggled, but she could not escape her brother's grasp. "Scorch, help me!"

The black tom-kit came rushing, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the look in his ginger brother's eyes. He ran away. _Hopefully for daddy._

"Let me go, Ember! You're just jealous that mommy likes me better than you!" Fiora yowled.

Ember hissed. "Shut up! That's not true! You get all the attention from everyone. No one pays attention to me or Scorch. We're the outcasts, and you're the favorite. You get everything. Why do you think you're the only one with a collar?"

Fiora stopped struggling for a moment. He made a good point. The blue collar around her neck was the only one of its kind in the house. Neither of her brother's had one, nor did her father. "It's not my fault! I don't choose for people to love me!"

Ember growled, and Fiora winced as she felt claws rip at her ear. "Shut up! You are the favorite. No one likes me and it's all your _fault_!"

"Ember! What are you doing?" The voice came so sudden, and the weight was lifted off of Fiora. She scrambled to her paws as she saw Shark take Ember away from her. "You do not hurt your sister."

"It's her fault! It's always her fault! She told a completely stupid story about how mom sent her a dream about her death! It was stupid!" Ember yowled.

Shark sighed and set his son down. "What she told you is the complete and utter truth, son. I'm sorry. I don't know why your mother chose to send it to Fiora, but she did, and you have to get over it. I expect you to be better behaved. You're not as young as you think you are."

Ember frowned. "I don't believe you."

Shark sighed. "Believe what you want, but don't hurt your sister over it. Let her be."

Ember hissed. "Fine," he spat.

Shark rolled his eyes. "Come on, Fiora. You can sleep with me, if you want. You too, Scorch. Let's leave Ember to think about what he's done."

Fiora smiled, and she and her dark-colored brother followed their father to the other room. The ginger she-cat curled up and fell asleep easily.

_Fire. There was more fire. This time, the pain was much less. She knew what was going on, and she knew who she was this time. She was Fiora in life, but she was Scarlett in her dream._

_When the blazing fire overwhelmed her, she welcomed it._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1562 words.<strong>

**Poor misunderstood Ember. He just wants to be loved, but only-girl Fiora gets all the attention. Poor baboo. ;-; It's no wonder why he eventually leaves. He really doesn't like his sister.**

**I thought Fiora deserved a childhood one-shot. Jericho got one, so why not Fi? Poor baby, though.**

**First thing I thought of when I saw this writing prompt was Blazing Saddles. xD Yay me.**


	21. Help

Blood flew everywhere. Even his vision was full of blood. Red was all he could see as he tore into cat after cat. It was the bloodiest battle he had ever known. Blood stained his white coat, and his blue eyes were bloodshot. Blood dripped from his jaw and his claws, signs that he had killed and would continue to kill.

Maelstrom tore into the flesh of the cat in front of him. It was a weak cat, unworthy of living. He wasn't even sure which cat this was. During his time spent with the Clan, he had not bothered to learn the name of each and every cat. Only a few names drifted through his mind, and this cat's was not one of them.

He threw the now deceased cat down without a second thought. It was easy for him. This was written in his blood. He found his next victim easily, and he began to tear into the cat. He could easily recognize the cat, but the name slipped his mind as easily as his claws slit the tom's throat.

Around him, he could see his companion's easily being able to defeat the Clanner cats. Mackerel was holding up with Twister by her side. Jenner, Jaci, and Jessie battled together, a trio that could not be stopped. Shackle battled alone, his strength able to defeat every enemy. With these cats by his side, his family, Maelstrom knew they would win.

Maelstrom's thoughts suddenly snapped away as he was tackled to the ground by a silver she-cat. He snarled, and the fighting began again. The tear of flesh and the spill of blood came again and again, the she-cat relentless. Finally, Maelstrom hooked his claws into her throat, and the pale tom tore open the silver cat's throat. As he whipped his paw away, blood flew off his white paw and spattered his face.

His blue eyes caught sight of the moon. He had just noticed that it was full, and the light illuminated the battle. It was a long battle, and still going. The Clanners fought hard, but they fought harder. Maelstrom was confident, and he how this would all end and he just hoped he was making the right choice.

Throughout the battle, his eyes had searched for a black pelt. Of course, he knew he would never find the cat. Why would she be out here in the danger? She would be tucked away, safe and unharmed. She wouldn't have to see him kill, again and again. She wouldn't have to watch as her friends and family all fell around her.

Once again, he was abruptly thrown out of his thoughts by an attacker. With all of his strength, Maelstrom threw the attacker away, and growled at the cat as he lashed out with his claws. He stared straight into the eyes of his attacker, and froze mid swipe. The green eyes of the cat looked familiar, and he was thrown to the ground. A black she-cat stood above him, and he was barely able to choke out her name. "Shadypaw?"

The she-cat growled, but said nothing. The anger in her eyes made Maelstrom flinch, and he backed away from her angry glare.

"Shadypaw, I'm sorry, but you need to go right now. You can't be out here. It's not safe. You'll get hurt." He could see blood was dripping from the black she-cat's ear, from where he had lashed out at her.

She hissed, and suddenly she wasn't Shadypaw anymore. The black she-cat was replaced by a cat of a different color, and the rogue's strength came back to him as he flung himself at the cat. This time, it was hard to kill the cat. She kept flickering back and forth from herself to Shadypaw, and Maelstrom kept hesitating in his attacks. Eventually, however, he managed to send the cat to StarClan, never to return.

He turned to find his next target, his next victim. His eyes caught sight of a nearby cat, and just as he was about to charge, his ears were pierced with a terrified scream. He looked around, eyes wide, expecting to see Mackerel or Jaci on the ground, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

A black lump of fur was splattered with blood, barely standing. A hulking shape of grey was looming over the black cat. Shackle was prepared to take the final blow, and Shadypaw looked ready to fall over dead.

The medicine cat caught his eyes, and they were pleading. She mouthed something to him, and he immediately understood. "Help me, Sleetpaw."

The pale tom rushed forward just as Shackle lifted a large grey paw. He slammed into the grey tom's side as hard as he could manage, and the larger tom stumbled for a moment. He looked down at Maelstrom, and for a moment, the pale tom thought he looked confused.

"Sir?" the grey tom finally mustered. "Sir? Sir, I apologize, but this needs to be done. This she-cat ruined your life, sir. She no longer belongs here."

"No, Shackle. She belongs here. She deserves to be here more than you and I. Hurt her, and you hurt me." Maelstrom narrowed his eyes. Shackle would never hurt his master, right?

"Very well, sir." However, Shackle still moved past Maelstrom, and headed straight for Shadypaw, who was still frozen, unable to move.

"Shackle, stop!" Maelstrom threw himself at the large tom, latching himself to Shackle's back. "Stop!"

Shackle continued forward, as if he did not even notice Maelstrom's claws digging into his back, or the pleading in the voice of the pale tom. He continued forward, even when Maelstrom began to tear away flesh and blood from his back as his claws ripped and ripped, again and again.

Maelstrom was eventually thrown from Shackle's back as the grey tom grabbed Shadypaw in his jaws. He flung her away, and Maelstrom watched in horror as the black she-cat hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"No. No, no, no, no." Maelstrom leaped to his paws and charged forward. He pushed Shackle away with a strength he did not know he had, and crouched next to Shadypaw. "Shadypaw, are you- are you-?"

One green eye blinked open, then another. They were wild with fear, but they were still open, and relief washed over the pale tom. "Shadypaw, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen, I swear."

"I-I believe you, Sleetpaw. I believe you, b-because I believe that the cat I fell in love with is still there somewhere. I believe you, because somewhere in my heart, I never stopped loving you, no matter what I had said," the she-cat rasped.

"Hush, Shadypaw. Don't speak. I-I'll have us retreat, and you will be healed, and everything will be alright. Do you hear me? Everything will be alright," he choked. Maelstrom buried his face into the she-cat's bloody fur. "I'm sorry."

Shadypaw smiled. "I know. I'm sorry Sleetpaw. W-will you tell me one last story?"

The tom looked at her confused, and then it clicked. She was a medicine cat, and she knew she was going to die. This was her last request, and he would give it to her. He nodded slowly.

"There were once two cats. One was a Clanner, and one was a rogue. The rogue joined the Clan under a false name, and lied to everyone. He met a she-cat in the Clan, one who was friendlier than the rest of them. She was smart, beautiful, and kind.

"Every day, the two cats spent their time together. The rogue would tell the Clanner stories, and the Clanner would delight the rogue with her presence. They were best friends, and they were happy as long as they were together."

Maelstrom looked deeply into Shadypaw's eyes, which were beginning to close. "Soon, the rogue found himself falling in love. He did not want to admit it, for he had planned terrible things. He and his rogue friends planned to destroy the Clan, but many thoughts made him not want to. However, he could not back down, so one day, he left."

His voice began to choke as he told the story. "He told the Clanner that he loved her, and she loved him back. It wasn't until the rogue revealed his true intent that the Clanner broke his heart. He was a shattered tom, and still he loved her with all his heart.

"Then came the battle, when all the rogue could think about was the Clanner's safety. No one else mattered to him, not even himself. When the she-cat was on the verge of death, he told her their story. The last story he ever told her was them, and when she closed her eyes for the last time, she was at peace."

Shadypaw's eyes were closed, but her breathing was still there, very faint. "Sleetpaw, thank you. That was exactly what I wanted. I-I love you, Sleetpaw."

Maelstrom swallowed a lump in his throat. "I love you, too, Shadypaw. Sleep well, and I will see you in StarClan." He gave her a nuzzle as the black she-cat's breathing stopped, and he turned to Shackle. "We're leaving, now."

With one last yowl, Maelstrom left the Clan camp, and never looked back.

**AN- 1549 words.**

**Ah man. D': That was depressing.**

**I think I butchered Maelstrom a LOT, but I just couldn't help myself. This had to be done. AUs are my favorite.**

**Instead of losing his eyes, he lost the other half of his heart. Ah man. ;-;**

**This is for you, Shim. I hope you're happy.**


	22. Presence

Walking. That's what they had been doing, and that's what they were still doing. They walked mile after mile, hour after hour. It was all walking, and it never stopped. Their destination was set, and they just kept on walking.

It was a large group. Many cats walked, but only a few walked together. With her mate by her side, she felt safe. With her mate by her side, the walk didn't seem so hard. With the young kit by her side, she felt happy. With her group by her side, she felt loved.

The tortoiseshell never felt alone, even when the group stopped to rest and her mate left her alone. She never felt alone when she slunk away to get some air. She never felt alone in her dreams, because she knew she was there. That presence in the back of her mind, she felt it. It was always there, and she was okay with that.

Every time the she-cat tripped, she felt herself falling. Falling. Each time, she would feel a small shape catch her as she fell. There would never be anyone there, but she would be caught all the same. She would feel dazed, and confusion would lurk in the back of her mind, but she never fell.

Every time she would curl up to fall asleep, she would feel a pelt pressed up against her. There would be no cat, but she still felt the small shape lurking. It was comforting to the ex-rogue, a feeling that she would never have to feel alone.

Sometimes, she heard a faint voice in the back of her head. Sometimes it was hard to hear; sometimes it was easy to hear. The tortoiseshell knew who the voice belonged to; she knew it with all her heart. The whisper she would hear gave her hope that the choice she had made, the choice to leave everything behind, was the right choice.

She talked to her, sometimes. She knew who it was. The tortoiseshell never forgot the cat's happy voice. The voice talked back, but it was so faint, she had to strain to hear it. Laughter filled her mind each time, and reassurance was always present. That was the presence, her best friend.

She apologized to her, too. She was so sorry for far too many things, things she had done and things she had not done. She apologized day and night, but each time she knew she was forgiven. She was sorry for not knowing her friend was pregnant. She was sorry for leaving the kits behind. She was sorry for loving her best friend's mate. She was sorry for not dying in her place.

She remembered each bloody moment of the battle that took the ginger she-cat away from her. She remembered every gruesome detail, every fang and claw, every bloody pelt. She remembered with far too much detail how her best friend had died. She remembered with far too much detail how she had failed to save the she-cat. She remembered, and she hated herself for it.

She just wanted to forget. She wanted to forget and start a new life with her new family and her mate. The Clan was her new family, but she longed for the comfort of the barn. She longed to see a hulking grey figure or a slim silver figure. She longed to see that familiar ginger pelt and that amazing brown pelt. She wanted to forget them, but they would always be there. Blue eyes, green eyes, all eyes.

Walking. That's what she was doing. She was still walking. Even after days, she still walked. Her mate was there, walking with her. They walked. Surrounded by the entire Clan, they walked. They walked, and they walked, and they walked. It was tiring, but they walked nonetheless.

As the tortoiseshell walked, she would feel the presence of another walking beside her. It was a smaller cat, with a slim figure and a grand smile. The smile she imagined, of course, but she knew it was there, like she knew who the cat was walking beside her. It was not her mate, no. It was another. Her best friend walked beside her. A small ginger queen, who had left her kits behind, left her family behind, left her friends behind.

It wasn't just those feelings of sorry, or those nonexistent whispers in the back of her mind. Talking. It was there. She talked to her, constantly asking questions and saying things that she needed to talk about. It was all to her. All of it. Every last sound, every last thought.

In dreams there are signs of which can and cannot be seen, or so thought the she-cat. Whether the dream contained just a certain flower or a certain cat, it is a sign. Death. That was all she ever saw in her dreams. They were filled with visions of bloody cats and shrieks of terror. The shrieks were what woke her up in the night, panting and afraid. It was the silhouettes of bloody, broken cats that scarred her vision and made her unable to see when she woke up.

Yet, there was still that presence, the one she knew, yet she didn't. It was a comfort to her, and she knew the nightmares were just nightmares, unable to be unseen. She knew they weren't real, and she was comforted by the presence that told her it wasn't real. The tortoiseshell knew, and the presence itself knew.

The tortoiseshell was a happy cat when she knew she wasn't alone, and she knew she was never alone. She was always happy with her friend by her side, even if she did not know if she was there or not. Happy. It was how they all felt. Her ginger friend was happy with her brown tom, the father of her kits. They were happy. Her friends back in the barn, they would be happy soon. She with the Clan, she was happy. Her family, where ever they may be, they were happy, too.

Jessie always felt she was destined to be something great. She always felt her ginger friend Jaci was also destined to be something amazing in her life. She wasn't wrong. She was never wrong when it came to friends. Even though Jaci was gone, she still played the most important role in the tortoiseshell's life, as did the brown tom, Jenner. They were important cats in her life, even if they didn't know it.

Jessie always felt Jaci present, whether it is in her sleep or when she is awake. The ginger queen was there, her comfort and her anchor in life. The laughter and smiles they had shared, their adventures together was what kept her happy, even in times of sadness. Even when Jaci said that Jessie could have the tom that fathered her kits, they were happy. Even when Jaci gave birth to her kits, they were happy. Even when Jaci died, they were happy.

Destiny. Destiny was what brought them together. Destiny killed Jaci, and destiny brought Jessie to TacoClan. Destiny helped Jessie to meet Eveningclaw, and destiny let her still remember Jaci. Destiny kept their bond strong, and she was the happiest cat alive because of destiny.

* * *

><p>Pain, worse than she'd ever felt before. It shot through her entire body, making her feel as if she was on fire. Blood stained the floor of the den, and blood stained her fur. Raindapple, formerly the rogue known as Jessie, screamed, a scream worse than when she'd lost Jaci and Jenner. Scream after scream erupted from her, and she barely heard the soothing words from the golden queen and the black she-cat.<p>

"Push, Raindapple. Push!" commanded the medicine cat. Shadyfern's green eyes were on her, worry etched in every gleaming detail. "Come on, you can do it. The first one is almost here. Pheasantflight, I need you over here. This will be good for you to know when you're kits arrive."

A golden figure approached, and through her screaming, Raindapple could tell it was Pheasantflight. "I'm here, Raindapple. I'm here," cooed the golden queen.

Ripples shot through her entire body, and Raindapple screamed even louder than before. Her body was shaking violently, and when the abrupt movements had stopped, the pain dulled for a moment.

"Here's the first one. Here, Pheasantflight, keep this one warm. I'm certain you remember what to do. Oh, here comes the next one. Now Raindapple-"

The tortoiseshell didn't hear the rest of the sentence. More ripples, and more pain, it all came at once. It lasted for a short time, and then the pain dulled.

"Eveningclaw, we might need you in here!" A pause. "I need you to keep this kit warm."

Raindapple could barely make out the dark shape of her mate lingering nearby. She barely managed to send him a smile before the pain continued once more. It happened, pain and then a dull sensation, again and again, until the tortoiseshell had birthed six kits.

Blood soaked her fur, and she was panting heavily. She could no longer see, her vision blurred from the pain and blood loss. She couldn't see her kits, nor could she see her mate's face, the one thing she wanted to see.

"Raindapple, are you alright?" came Shadyfern's voice.

"I-I can't see," she croaked. "It's too blurry, and the pain-" The queen groaned. "Tell me what they look like, please."

"Well, there are six of them. Four toms and two she-cats. The two she-cats are tortoiseshell. Three of the toms are grey, and one is a tortoiseshell. I'm sorry, but the tortoiseshell tom may not live long," the medicine cat told her.

Raindapple managed a small nod. "Which of the two tortoiseshell she-cats are smaller?"

"You can't see her, but this one is smaller," came Eveningclaw's voice.

"I want her to be Sorrelkit. Please," she said quietly.

"Why?" asked the grey tom.

"For a cat I once knew. My best friend, she would have been a Sorrel- if she was a Clanner, I just know it. Please, Eveningclaw, for me," Raindapple begged.

"Of course. She will be Sorrelkit," he told her.

Raindapple gave a small nod, and she could begin to feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. A presence beckoned her forth, and she felt herself give a tiny gasp before everything went black.

_When she came to, she could finally see, but she didn't see the nursery, nor did she see her kits and mate. She saw a cave filled with snow, and the shapes of two cats surrounded her. She immediately recognized them._

"_You did a great job. Much better than I did," said Jaci happily. "I'm glad you finally joined us. It gets boring with just the two of us."_

"_Jaci…" Raindapple whispered._

"_Of course. Who else would it be?" The ginger she-cat smiled and padded over. "You know where you are, right?"_

"_No, I don't." Raindapple got to her paws, and she could no longer see._

"_You're dead, Jess," Jenner said from beside Jaci. "We're so sorry."_

"_I-I…" She looked at her paws, which were starry. "This isn't StarClan…"_

"_No, it isn't. Whatever sky this is, at least we're finally together again," Jaci meowed happily. "I missed you, you know. I watched over you."_

"_Thanks, Jaci," purred the tortoiseshell. "I appreciate it. I missed you- both of you- so much."_

"_We missed you, too."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1903 words. ;-;<strong>

**Damnit, now I'm sad.**


	23. Because

"Where are we going?"

The golden she-kit rolled her grey eyes, and turned to her brother for the umpteenth time. "We're going out of camp," she told him.

"Why?" asked the black tom.

"Because we can. There's no one to stop us. We're almost apprentices, so why not?" The she-cat smiled, grey eyes gleaming. "Now come on, Spiderkit. Let's hurry before momma wakes up."

"But what if we get in trouble? Pheasantkit, I'm afraid," Spiderkit murmured.

"Don't worry, brother. I'm here to keep us safe. You'll never be hurt as long as you have Pheasantstar by your side." The golden kit nudged her brother. "Now come on. I don't want to wake up Featherstripe. Let's go, deputy Spiderclaw!"

Spiderkit laughed, and together the kits left the camp.

Pheasantkit's grey eyes were wide open, and her ears were perked. Her tail was trashing, and the leaves rustled each time she took a step. Beside her, Spiderkit trembled.

"Phes? Let's go back. This wasn't a good idea," whispered the black kit.

"Ah come on, Spidey! This is great. We're out in the open, and bet Wolfstar will make us apprentices early for this, and Smokefrost won't eat us when we're apprentices!" Pheasantkit giggled.

"Smokefrost doesn't eat apprentices. That's just an old rumor to make naughty apprentices behave better," said Spiderkit, tail thrashing. "Besides, he's not gonna eat me. I'm too awesome."

"Well in that case, I'm guaranteed to live! I'm much more awesome than you are, no offense," the kit told her brother.

"Offense taken," Spiderkit hissed playfully. "Now let's go back to camp."

"But why?" asked Pheasantkit.

"Because I'm bored. If you aren't coming with me, I'll go back to camp without you." Spiderkit growled, and unsheathed his tiny kit claws.

"Geez, Spidey, don't get mad at me. Go ahead and go back to camp. I want to see the river. I heard it was gorgeous at night. I heard some of the warriors talking about it." Pheasantflight smiled. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Have fun in camp, party pooper."

"Whatever. Have fun getting killed, Pheasantdead." Spiderkit walked away without another word.

Pheasantkit rolled her eyes. "Pheasantdead isn't even clever!" she called after him. "I've got so many better insults in store, Spiderbore!" She blinked, and hit her face with her paw. "Spiderbore? What am I, a kit- Oh wait…"

The she-cat giggled and headed towards the direction she guessed the river was in. Her eyes eagerly took in the scenery around her, since she knew she wouldn't be able to see it for a while, since her apprentice ceremony wouldn't be for a while.

"Pheasantpaw. It rolls off the tongue nicely, don't you think Spidey-" She stopped speaking abruptly, and sighed. "Spidey abandoned me, remember? He doesn't need me, and I don't need him. Why? Because."

Pheasantkit sighed. She stopped walking, and looked at the sky. "Why am I even out here? It's no fun without Spiderkit by my side. Why?" She stomped a paw. "Because I'm independent. I don't need him."

The she-caw stopped walking when she realized that she was no longer surrounded by the thick undergrowth of the forest, but was in a clearing. Her grey eyes widened, and she could see the moon shining above her, surrounded by gleaming stars.

"I made it!" Pheasantkit smiled, pleased with herself. "I can't believe I actually made it. Now, where is the river- Oh, there it is." Her gaze caught sight of the river, sparkling with a beauty she had never seen before.

She skipped over to the peaceful river and peeked inside. She could see her reflection, her mirror image. "Wow, is this really what I look like? I look so much… so much _smaller _than I thought I did. I'm bigger than Spidey, though. Does that mean he's even smaller? Wow…"

The golden kit dipped her paw in the water, and giggled as the water rippled, distorting all images shown in the water. "Now I look funny," she commented with a purr. "But why? I guess it's because that's how it works."

Pheasantkit sat down, a plop of dust coming up as she did. "I wish Spidey was here. He would have loved this. It's so pretty. Well, I can tell him all about it when I get back." She stood up and turned around. Her eyes widened as she realized she was not sure where she'd come from. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Well, that's if I can find my way back."

She flattened her ears, but determination still showed in her grey eyes. "I can find my way. I got out here, so I can get back. Then I'll tell Spidey about the river, and he'll be so impressed!" She smiled. "Pheasantstar can get out of any situation."

She began to run towards the undergrowth, but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard rustling. Her eyes widened. "Hello? Who's there?" she called out. More rustling. She unsheathed her claws and hissed. "I'm a TacoClan warrior. I can take you down with a single swipe."

"You're just a kit. You couldn't hurt a fly," came a voice from the forest.

"I'm Pheasantstar! I can take on any challenge," mewed Pheasantkit.

"I'm sure you mean Pheasantkit. You shouldn't be out of camp, you know." From the undergrowth, Badgercloud padded out, golden eyes narrowed disapprovingly.

Pheasantkit smiled. "Why not, sis? It's not dangerous out here."

"Because it _is _dangerous out here. You got lucky, little sister. You could have been attacked by a fox, and no one would have known because they'd be fast asleep in camp, just like Spiderkit," the warrior told her.

"But he came with me. Well, he left, but he still came with me," argued the golden kit. "Besides, I'm Pheasantstar. Nothing can defeat me."

Badgercloud smiled. "Tell that to a badger. They're fierce, just like I am."

Pheasantkit frowned. "You're not fierce. You're the nicest cat I know!"

"Little sister, I am much fiercer than you think," the black-and-white cat told her.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sis." Pheasantkit giggled. "Will you take me back to camp? I'm not sure which way it is."

"Sure thing, Pheasantstar. I bet your deputy Spiderclaw is waiting for you eagerly." Badgercloud smiled and picked up the kit in her mouth.

Pheasantkit frowned. "You don't have to pick me up, you know."

"Yes I do. Now stop complaining or I'll leave you here." The warrior carried the golden kit camp to camp without another word.

Pheasantkit skipped to the nursery, tossing her sister a goodbye before she did. She entered the den and easily located her brother snuggled up against their mother's belly. She padded over and prodded the tom with her tiny paw.

Spiderkit blinked open a sleepy eye. "Oh, hey Phes. Did you make it to the river?"

She nodded. "It was amazing. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen. When we're apprentices, we'll go there all the time."

The black kit nodded. "Awesome. I can't wait. How'd you find your way back?" he asked.

"Badgercloud found me," she admitted easily. Pheasantkit shrugged. "She carried me back."

"Oh, that's nice of her." Spiderkit closed his eye. "I'm sleepy. Goodnight, Pheasantstar."

The golden kit curled up next to her brother, snuggling next to him and their mother. "Goodnight, Spiderclaw."

In the morning when she woke up, Pheasantkit could not find her brother. She frowned, and prodded her mother with her golden paw. "Momma, where's Spiderkit?"

Swiftwing licked the top of her head. "He's very sick, darling. He has greencough."

Pheasantkit's frown deepened. "Will he be okay? Can I go see him?"

"You have to ask Snowheart. If he's okay with it, then you can visit him." Swiftwing nudged the kit. "Go on. I bet he's awake."

Pheasantkit nodded, and shot out of the nursery and towards the medicine cats' den. She peeked inside, and softly called, "Snowheart?"

A white pelt appeared immediately, and he smiled. "Oh, hello Pheasantkit. Are you here to see your brother?"

Pheasantkit nodded. "Mhm. I want to see him now, if that's okay."

"Of course," the tom purred. "He's in the back, complaining. Maybe you can get him to stop. Just follow the coughing and you'll find him."

"Thanks, Snowheart!" The golden she-cat shot towards the source of the coughing, which she had just noticed. When she spotted the black tom, she smiled. "Hey, Spidey!"

The kit groaned, and lifted his dark head. "Hi, Phes," he rasped, then started coughing.

Pheasantkit frowned. "Is it my fault that you're sick?" she asked.

Spiderkit shook his head. "Snowheart said I was already sick and that it wasn't until now that I showed any symptoms. It's not your fault."

The golden she-cat cracked a smile. "Good. You should rest, though. The faster you get better, the faster we get back to playing!"

He nodded, and the black tom curled up tightly, only moving to cough.

Pheasantkit began to leave, but she ran into Snowheart, who had herbs in his mouth. "Snowheart! Glad I bumped into you. Do you know when my brother will be better?"

Snowheart sighed. "Listen, Pheasantkit… Your brother isn't going to get any better. He-"

"Why? Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting you. I bet you were going to tell me. Sorry." Pheasantkit flattened her ears. "Please continue."

Snowheart cracked a small smile. "Because we are low on herbs, and because your brother is really sick, there is a very slim chance that your brother will get better. He may die, Pheasantkit. I'm sorry, but that's just how life works. You may want to get you goodbye out of the way now-"

"No!" Pheasantkit's eyes were flaring. "He's going to get better, and we'll be Pheasantstar and Spiderclaw. He's going to get better, because I'll miss him if he doesn't." She shot out of the den, this time running into Smokefrost.

She looked up, fear in her grey eyes. "I'm so sorry." She ran away from the tom before he could say anything.

She collapsed in the nursery, head on her paws. "Because. That's the only reason."

**AN- 1679 words.**

**Okay, this one is definitely an AU. I was not Phes's RPer when she was a kit, and I am certain that Phes was not this well behaved. She was a little brat when she was a kit, or so I was told. That, and I'm certain that she and her brother never left camp in the middle of the night.**

**Spiderkit, he eventually dies of greencough. It's depressing, really.**

**If any of you remember, in the future Phes and Smoky (Smokefrost) eventually hook up and become mates. Big age difference, huh? You're welcome. :p**


	24. Forced

A copper-colored tom weaved through the town. His green eyes searched endlessly for the sewers. Each step brought him closer, or farther. He wasn't sure. All he knew was that he was in town, and he couldn't find his targets.

Finally, he targeted a creamy white tom. A sinister smile graced his face, and he called out. "Hey! You there!" The tom turned, and he could see blue eyes widening. He turned to run, but the copper tom called out once more. "No, no. Don't run! I just need to ask you a question. I seem to be lost."

The creamy white tom nodded, and he padded over. "May I first ask your name?"

"Of course. My name is Raptor, and I am looking for a group called the Hot Shots. Would you happen to know where I may find them?" His eyes glinted, but the tom seemed not to notice.

"Yes. I act as the voice, the leader, of this group. My name is Cosimo. You may follow me, and then you can speak with all of us." Cosimo flicked a creamy tail.

"Yes… Yes… That would be good. Yes. Let us be off. I prefer not to waste time." Raptor chuckled quietly, unheard by the Hot Shot tom.

Cosimo dipped his head, and without another word, led Raptor to the sewers. The copper tom welcomed the grime, laughter escaping him before he could even take a breath. He ignored Cosimo's strange look, and followed him, laughter still ringing.

Eventually they stopped, and Raptor was facing a group. It was a small enough group, but they would do. _Yes, they'll do just fine._ They looked strong, and Raptor smiled.

"Greetings, sewer dwellers. My name is Raptor, and I have a proposition of sorts," he began. Ears perked with interest, and he continued, "I am looking for some… some guards. I have heard many great things about you from the city cats, and I have come to hire you."

"What's in it for us? We don't do nothing for free," a voice spoke up.

"Great question. No question is stupid, after all." A smile curled his face. "You see, I am planning something, something that will help this godforsaken city. This… this _Sun King_ is not someone I like, you see. I plan on taking this city as my own. Can't do that myself, you know."

"That didn't answer my question."

"I'm getting to that," Raptor suddenly snapped, all traces of his smile gone. "In return, you may have any piece of the city you so choose. No longer will you have to lurk in these murky sewers. You could have anything you desire, so long as you serve- I mean, help me."

Cosimo narrowed his eyes. "We don't do that kind of thing."

"Oh, I assure you. You will." Raptor chuckled, and his claws unsheathed.

"Cosimo, I think we should do this. I hate the sewers," said a she-cat. "It's gross and smelly here, and there's barely any light."

"We don't do this kind of thing, Sake. This is not who the Hot Shots are," argued Cosimo.

"I agree with Sake," spoke up another cat, this time a tom. "It can't be healthy, staying down here."

"Yeah, and no one is here to fawn over my gorgeousness," said a she-cat.

Cosimo sighed. "You know what, fine. Do what you want, but count me out. This isn't why I became a Hot Shot. Do what you want. I'm not being bribed, forced into anything." Without another word, the creamy white tom left, leaving the rest of the Hot Shots with Raptor.

Raptor watched him leave with interest, and a laugh escaped him. "Perfect." He turned once more to the Hot Shots. "All agreed?"

This time, the cats did not look too sure. "I don't know…" said Sake. "We don't usually do anything without Cosimo. We relied on him."

"Well, now you can rely on me. I'm very reliable, you know," said the copper tom.

"Well, I don't like this," spoke a calico-and-white she-cat. "I don't trust you, and I don't trust the city. How do we know that you're going to give us what we ask for?"

"Trust me… I'm a doctor." Raptor grinned.

"A what now?"

"Never mind. You in or you out? I can't stay here all day. I have important business to attend to." Raptor tapped a paw impatiently, just to add effect.

"Give us a minute," said Sake, and she pulled the Hot Shots away to talk.

Raptor couldn't hear a word they spoke, but he could see the occasional tail trashing, or a head peeking at him. He liked it, this attention they gave him, even if they weren't all looking at him. Still, he waited, until the finally broke apart and approached him.

"We have all agreed… that you are insane and we won't work for you," said one of the cats.

"Oh?" The copper tom growled, and lifted a paw, unsheathing the claws. "I can force you, you know. I could torture one of you, and none of you would be able to do a thing. I could scoop out eyes, rip off tails, break legs, and pull out claws. Just about anything, really. Of course, that's your choice if you join me willingly… or I force you."

A grey tom looked at him with narrowed yellow eyes. "Give us a moment." Like Sake did, he pulled them away to speak.

This talk took much longer than the last. The murmuring was louder, and Raptor could barely catch words.

"…can't force us…"

"…take him on…"

"…insane…"

"…gorgeous fur…"

Finally, after many minutes too long, Raptor growled. "You have five seconds."

"We're still discussing this. Hold on," hissed a cat from the group.

"Four…" growled the copper tom.

"Okay, okay. We're talking! Just give us a minute," said another cat.

"Three…" the copper tom spoke.

"Guys, hurry up!"

"Two…"

"Shut up, Soju."

"One…"

"We're done!" shouted one of the cats.

Raptor smirked. "Too late." He shot forward, a copper blur, and he grabbed the closet cat. He heard one of the cats shout out, but he ignored it. He threw the cat to the ground. He grabbed her throat in his jaw, and ripped it away with ease. He spat out the flesh he had taken, and turned to the rest of the Hot Shots with a look of complete insanity. "So, what's the answer?"

There was a look of utter shock across the face of each of the cats. Some of them had jaws gaping open, others had flattened ears, and some had bristling fur. Finally, he heard one of the cats cry out.

"Well? I'm waiting…" the copper tom said, his voice becoming sing-songy.

As one, the Hot Shots turned to Sake, and she gulped. "We… we agree. We were just- just k-kidding about not following- following you. It was a- a joke. See? I'm laughing." A nervous chuckle escaped the she-cat, and the rest of the cats soon joined in.

Raptor's laughter joined in, and laughter rang through the sewers, echoing and bouncing off the walls. "Perfect. I'm going to love this. So are you. You see, this will be like a game. A great, great game. We're the heroes, and Castion the Sun King is the enemy. Our goal, to kill him and take over this city. Understand?"

The Hot Shots nodded as one, fear in their eyes.

_Yes… Soon they will _all_ fear me. I will rule this filthy city with an iron paw. With these cats by my side, I will be unstoppable. Chaos will ensue, and it with be like a dream. All the she-cats will want to be with me. All the kits will want to be me. All the toms will envy me. It will be grand. Perfect-_

"Sir?"

A voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he growled. When he looked to see who had spoken up, he stopped abruptly. Visions swirled in his eyes, and he could see the Hot Shots bowing to him, Cosimo included. He smirked.

"Sir, what is our first move?"

Again the voice. The vision disappeared, and for a heartbeat, Raptor frowned. His face of insanity soon came back, and he chuckled. "Our first move?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes… Yes… Our first move will mark us as the heroes. But… it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see. They will all know us." _And the game will begin. _Raptor's chuckle turned into laughter, high pitched and loud. He turned away, and his laughter cut off. "I will return soon. None of you are to follow me. When I return, if one of you is missing, I will remove a body part from Sake until all cats are present. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" came all the voices in unison.

"Good. Upon my return… training shall begin. Be prepared." With that, Raptor skipped away, occasionally spinning as he left the sewers. His first objective: to find where Castion resided.

_Let the games begin._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1503 words. Wow, I'm lazy. xD<strong>

**Raptor… Oh man, he is crazy. Poor Hot Shots. They work for a crazy cat.**


	25. Reversed

The sun was high, shining down on the city. It seemed empty, much emptier than it should have been. The theater was deserted, and the sewers were abandoned. Yet, there were two large groups, both facing each other with snarls and growls. The park was filled with cats, all hostile. Two toms were in the front, one leading each group. Both stood tall and grand, glorious in the sunlight.

One stood taller than the other, a golden figure of sheer amazingness. Green eyes were flaring, and lips were brought back in a snarl. Castion, the Sun King, was ready to face his enemy.

The other tom stood just as fair. A copper lord, he was. His fur was dirty, and shaggy, and the scent of the sewers came off of him in flows. Raptor, the insane king, was ready to face his enemy.

"This ends here, Raptor!" yowled the Sun King. "You can no longer evade us. You will die today, this I swear."

Laughter echoed in the silent park as the copper tom smiled his sadistic smile. "The final level, dear Castion. The final level." Raptor gave a playful hiss. "The ending has already been set. We have just yet to see it. Oh, but we will. Trust me, dear Cassy." A wink. More laughter.

Castion's face flashed with confusion, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "Is this all just a game to you?"

"Yes… Yes, yes. Just a game. That's what it's always been. That's why I never killed you. Then it would be game over. That's why I never killed that sweet-ass Ali," Raptor said matter-of-factly.

From the cats behind Castion, a cough was heard. He smirked. Of course Ali was there. She would want to see his demise, he the captor, she the princess, and Castion the knight.

Castion narrowed his eyes, and the copper tom knew it was time. He flicked his tail, the signal that the battle was to begin. The Hot Shots ran past him, along with the very few cats that supported his ideas.

Cats from Castion's side came running, the golden tom leading the charge. That was the difference between the two. Raptor hated getting his claws dirty.

Cats collided. There weren't many cats on his side, compared to the mass of cats that fought for the Sun King. One after one, his guards- servants, he liked to call them- were taken down, bloody and unconscious. Raptor saw all of this through amused green eyes.

Soon, a golden blur tackled him to the ground, scratching at his pelt, his throat, his face. He did not struggle, for Raptor knew he would not win. Instead, he laughed as blood streamed down his mauled face.

"Stop laughing!" yowled Castion as his claws raked against the copper tom's muzzle. When Raptor did not stop, his attacks became stronger and stronger, until finally the golden king gave up. "Why do you not fight back?"

"No reason. I knew I was going to lose when the game began," Raptor whispered, a smile curled onto his bloodied face. "It was fun until the end. That's all I had ever hoped for."

Disbelief flashed onto Castion's golden face, and he growled. "You are insane. I should end you now."

"Then do it."

The golden tom's growl grew louder, and when his paw struck Raptor's face, the copper tom didn't feel it. "You are _insane_."

Raptor giggled as more blood flowed down his cheeks. "Tickles," he said in a sing-song way.

Castion grabbed his face with unsheathed claws, and Raptor's green eyes were staring straight into Castion's. "Listen to me, and listen well. I won't kill you. You will call off this attack, and you will leave this city and never return. Stop being insane, and start a new life."

Raptor smiled. "I feel a little bit of déjà vu going on here."

"Not yet." With that, the Sun King threw down Raptor's head, and the copper tom's skull hit the ground with a loud thump.

For a heartbeat, everything was black. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he couldn't think, he couldn't feel. Everything was numb. Then, everything came back at once, and he stared up at the golden tom that pinned him, a blank expression in his green eyes. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am," hissed the Sun King.

"…B-but where am I? What am I doing here? I'm serious, mister." Raptor winced as he finally noticed the blood flowing down his face and pelt. "What's happening?"

Castion blinked. "There is something seriously wrong with you."

The copper tom shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with me." Using all his strength, he managed to push the golden tom off of him and get up. "I gotta go home, though. Momma will be worried. I'm not supposed to be out alone, 'specially with strangers."

Castion moved towards Raptor and stopped in front of him. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"What are _you_ talking about? I'm just a simple city boy, who has lost his way. I'm not even sure how I got here." Raptor looked around, and his eyes finally saw the battle that was going on. "Whoa, what happened? Why is everyone fighting?" He narrowed his eyes. "Some of them look… familiar."

"Some of them are your guards, you dolt," Castion told him. "You seriously don't know where you are, do you?"

The copper tom shook his head. "No, I don't. I'm not sure where I am… who I am, for that matter."

Castion blinked once, twice. Then, a growl grew within his throat, and his paw flew out, claws unsheathed. They raked across Raptor's throat, and the tom fell over with an oomph. "Liar."

Raptor's fur bristled, and fear wafted off of him in waves. He shut his eyes, and whispered "I'm sorry," over and over again, waiting for the final blow to occur.

When he cracked open an eye, a paw was bearing down on him. He screamed in fear, and suddenly it all started to come back to him. Bribing the Hot Shots, ambushing Castion, kidnapping Alifair, battling Castion. It was all so sudden, and he shut his eyes once more.

The strike blew him away, flying through the air and landing with a loud crack on the ground. His head throbbed, and he remembered his mother, memories coming to him.

"_Momma?" A small copper kit prodded a larger cat with his paw, concern in his voice. "Momma?"_

_The she-cat's head rose and she turned to face the kit with a reassuring smile. "Raptor? What's wrong, darling?"_

"_I had another nightmare, momma. Uncle killed daddy, and uncle said that he was my father, not daddy. But I know that's not true, right momma?" Raptor looked up expectantly at his mother, kit-eyes big._

"_Darling, I need to tell you a story about your uncle and I. You may not understand, and you may hate me for it in the future, but I need to tell you before it's too late." His mother licked the top of his head before continuing. "You see, Tory, your uncle and I were very close as kits. Being littermates, that was to be expected. We were inseparable, and in some ways, we still are._

"_We grew up learning that it was wrong to have kits before becoming mates. Of course, your uncle and I agreed together, and vowed to never have kits until we had a mate. Well, we grew up, and slowly we became to drift. Your uncle never met anyone, and I met your father. Your uncle was jealous, because he felt that he would be replaced as my best friend, so I confronted him about it."_

_His mother sighed, and a small frown came to her face before she continued. "He admitted to me that he loved me, but knew it was wrong to love me in the way he did. He told me that he hated your father, and asked that I leave him for your uncle. I told him no, but he… he and I loved each other anyways. I became pregnant, which I confronted your uncle about, for he was the father. I-"_

"_Wait, but I'm your only kit," Raptor interrupted abruptly, frowning._

"_Let me finish." His mother licked the top of his head once more. "I was devastated, but I never told your father. I gave birth to a healthy kit, and I was happy for that."_

"_Great story, momma, but who was the kit?" he asked, green eyes sparking with curiosity._

"_You'll know soon enough, darling. Now it's time to go to sleep, Tory. You must be tired." His mother nudged him against her stomach, and Raptor curling up obediently._

"_I love you, momma," purred Raptor before falling asleep._

Blood poured from multiple wounds on his body, and Raptor the insane king knew he was going to die. "I love you, momma," he croaked before he shut his eyes one last time.

"_I love you, Raptor."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1501 words. You know you're lazy when you only have one word over the minimum. Lol.<strong>

**Just in case someone complains, this relates to Reversed because Tory is an insane kitty, and for a moment, his insanity was reversed and he was a normal kitty. Poor thing. :c**

**I think most of the one-shots in this book are Tacoverse AUs. I'm so silly. :3**


	26. Cast Away

Lost. We always seemed to be lost. But we never truly felt lost when we were together. We were inseparable, two best friends that were like Siamese twins. We were never far away from each other, and if we were, it was only for a few agonizing moments.

That's why when she went missing, I freaked out a_ lot_.

I suppose I should start from the beginning. Like my best friend and I, our mothers were always together. They gave birth together as well, and they considered the two of us to be sisters for that reason. Of course, no good thing lasts, for my friend's mother passed away, leaving my mother to care for the two of us.

When we were old enough to hunt on our own, my mother passed away. We weren't strong enough to bury her ourselves, so we just left. We left the only home we'd ever known when we were seven moons old, still kits.

We never separated from that moment on, because we were both afraid of losing each other. I was afraid of losing her, and I would have died for her, killed for her. She was my best friend, my sister.

I can still remember her vividly, the way she talked and walked, the way she looked. It was all too real, each time I closed my eyes, and her face was always there. Her big blue eyes, her ginger fur, her white spots, her solid black tail… I remembered it all. Her small size, her big ambition, her beautiful smile… I missed it so much.

It was this morning that we were walking and smelled a wonderful smell. We weren't sure what it was, but it tried to lure us in all the same.

"What is that? It smells wonderful," purred Sassy. "Let's go check it out."

"Don't go towards it, Sassy," I had warned. "We don't know what it is. It could be dangerous. Or it could be a trap! Sassy, I don't like it. We need to avoid it, just in case. Sassy, it could kill us. I don't trust it. Sassy- Sassy?" When I had turned my head and my best friend was gone.

Eyes widened, I had immediately called out for her to come back. "Sassy! Sassy, come back!" But she was gone.

And that's how I ended up here, alone and afraid. Inside, I was freaking out, mind filled with questions after question. On the outside, I was already a mess. My fur was bristled and somehow covered in mud, my eyes were wild with fear, and my tail was trashing. This was all natural. We'd never been apart for this long, nor this far apart.

"She went towards the smell," I told myself as I struggled to get to my paws. I was shaking so badly, I thought I was never going to stop! I tried to move towards the scent, but I couldn't move. That was to be expected from such a young cat, right? I was much too jittery, so when I heard voices, I flipped out even more.

I barely managed to hide in a bush, being grateful that it was large enough to conceal me. I peeked outside, and I could see many groups of cats, each consisting of three cats. They were huge, and they were heading straight for the strange smell. It was terrifying.

The first group was three big black cats. They were thin, and their fur was short. They had amber eyes, all three of them. Out of all the groups, they scared me the most. They were intimidating.

The second group was a bunch of tan cats, with long, fluffy fur around their necks. I had heard stories about big cats called lions, and they fit the picture in my head. Their paws were big, and their eyes were wide. I could see muscles rippling underneath their fur. Out of the three groups they were the largest.

Lastly, there was the third group. They seemed to be the strangest, but terrifying all the same. They were the smallest, but still much bigger than I. They were a blue-grey color, covered in scattered white stripes and spots. They had sharp blue eyes on their narrow faces, and they were super skinny, with thin fur and small paws.

When they had disappeared from sight, I crawled out from my hiding place and once again yelled out for my friend. "Sassy! Sassy!" I kept calling and calling, until I had to stop, for I was suddenly facing a big pair of blue eyes.

My first instinct was to run, and that's exactly what I did… sorta. I ran into the bush that was my hiding place, and I quivered so hard the bush shook and rustled along with me. Not the best choice for hiding, and soon a cat from the third group of large cats had taken me out and set me down on the ground.

The scent of fear came from me strongly. I could tell easily, and I was certain the large cat could scent it, too. The large cat said nothing, and for a minute I was afraid it was going to eat me. Finally, words were spoken.

"Kit would do well not to venture alone," growled the cat I now knew to be a tom. "This dangerous parts. Kit would get hurt."

"I'm not alone! Well, I wasn't alone. My friend, she wandered off. Her name is Sassy, and I can't find her." I flattened my ears.

"Kit is stupid. Friend do not wander off. Friend go willing. Friend in cave. Friend wait for you there. Me take you there. Kit leave with friend," said the tom.

"Oh, uh… Thank you! Yes, I would love to see my friend. Sassy and I have never been apart for this long." By then my ears had perked up, and I had stopped shaking. I might have been smiling, but I wasn't too sure.

"Me take you there. Kit follow." The large cat lumbered away, and I was forced to follow. I didn't have to follow for too long, for soon a small opening came into view. It barely seemed large enough to fit a cat of his size, but I shrugged it off. It seemed normal to me, being a kit and all.

"Is this it?" I asked when the tom had stopped.

"Yes. Friend wait inside. Kit go get friend." The tom gestured to the hole. "Kit leave after. Kit and friend never return. Kit and friend go very far away. Kit and friend never be separate."

"Of course!" I ran to the hole, and inside I could barely make out the fur color of Sassy. Without thinking, I jumping inside, a big smile on my face. "Sassy! I missed you." I stepped forward, but what I saw was not Sassy.

It was a bloody mess of bones and fur. It was Sassy's fur, I could tell, but it was no longer Sassy. "What did you do to Sassy?!" I shrieked.

"Me eat stupid kit. Me eat other kit next. Kit stay here until eaten."

I was stricken with horror. I didn't want to be eaten. I didn't want to be a pile of bones and fur! I wailed like a newborn kit as the tom covered the hole. I presumed he was sitting on it, since the hole was small, but I wasn't sure. I was too busy wailing and screaming to notice how it had been covered.

"Kit will shut up!"

It was him, again. I didn't want to be hurt, so I shut my mouth. I waited for what seemed like days, until finally I heard voices outside.

"What you doing?" This was a she-cat's voice.

"Me catch prey. Tiny kit fill stomach," said the tom.

"We no eat other cat. That make we bad. You get rid of it." That was another she-cat's voice.

"No," the tom said sternly.

"We make you then," growled the first she-cat.

Suddenly light poured into the cave as the tom was pushed away. I could hear fighting between the three cats up there. Soon, and head peeked inside. "Kit want leave?"

"Yes, please. Just- just let me grab something." I ran over to the pile of bones that used to be my best friend, my sister. I grabbed a bone, no matter how gross it seemed, and then I let the she-cat pull me out. I turned to her just as the other she-cat pinned the tom down. "Miss, do you know any way I could keep this with me?" I asked with the bone still in my mouth.

"Me no miss, but me do know way. Me help you," said the she-cat. She walked away, and soon came back with twigs and flower stems. "Me teach you so you do it yourself in future."

"Thank you." I took some of the stems and twigs from the large she-cat and followed her as she wove them together. It was hard, and it took me a lot longer to figure it out than I thought it would. But eventually, I managed to weave a makeshift collar for myself, making the tiny bone my charm.

"Thank you once again, large and slightly terrifying cat. Is there any way I can return the favor?" I asked her, letting the bone dangle against my neck.

"Yes. Leave, kit. Leave and don't return. You be safe away from we. Me brother be bad cat. Other cat not as nice as me. Go, and me wish you good luck on your travels." The she-cat nudged me, and quickly I ran.

When I was out of sight of the cats and even farther, I slowed my pace. There was no use in wasting all of my energy on trying to escape cats that aren't pursuing me. Eventually, I stopped, and found my paw on the bone, trying not to burst out in wails again.

_We've never been apart, and I don't plan on starting now. We'll stay together forever, this I promise. With this piece of you, we'll be together forever. You're my sister, Sassy. I promise you'll be my sister forever. I hope you made it to mommy and aunty._

_I love you, Sassy._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1714 words, b*tches. ;)<strong>

**Mm, so this is in first person (duh!) set in the Tacoverse. Of course, I never came up with a name nor a description for the MC, so that's why it was left in first person. Usually I don't write in first person, but this one turned out really well.**

**Actually, I did not think up this character... kinda. This is a confusing explanation. Or not. It really depends on the person. Pre' much I had a dream, and this was it. Pretty weird, considering that I was a cat. That is another reason this was in first person, 'cause I never knew my name in the dream nor what I looked like. Weird, huh?**

**Can't find the theme? WELL TRY HARDER. :D**


	27. Emotions

Silent movement through thick woods. This had become an everyday thing for the new apprentice. The ginger she-cat was hunting. It seemed that it was the only thing she ever did nowadays. She didn't mind, though. She loved to hunt, just like her mentor. Having gone out alone, Morningdew was not there to fix her mistakes. Yet, at the moment there were none.

Scarpaw had told her that the best hunting was near the edge of the territory, where the abandoned barn could be found. Her brother said that fat barn mice would run towards their forest to find exotic seeds or whatever they eat. She believed him, and that's where she was. She had invited him, but his answer had been no.

Now, she was all alone. No mentor, no mother, and no brother. It was just hunting, and she wasn't worried. She was brave. She was smart. She was Flamepaw.

Suddenly, her amber eyes caught sight of a small brown rodent nibbling on a blade of grass. She crouched, hoping her hunter's crouch looked fine. She moved forward, weaving through the bushes, careful to not let her fur brush the leaves. The mouse looked up, and she stopped suddenly. The tiny rodent continued to eat its snack, and Flamepaw moved forward once more. Just as she pounced, another figure appeared, and they collided. It gave the mouse enough time to disappear in the undergrowth.

"Foxdung!" cursed the she-cat as she turned on the stranger. "You mousebrain, what were you doing? I could have caught that!"

The stranger, a blue-grey tabby, looked at her with wide green eyes. He was trembling, and his voice cracked as he spoke, "I'm so sorry."

Flamepaw hissed before realizing that the tom was scared out of his pelt. "Oh, it's okay." She frowned. "You're not from around here, are you? You don't look like a RogueClan cat, and you sure aren't a WolfClan cat."

"I'm from the abandoned barn. M-my momma found the place awhile back, and she raised me there. B-but she died a few sunrises ago, and I came here to find help. But that mouse looked so good, and I was so hungry." He lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." The apprentice thought for a moment before continuing, "What's your name? I'm Flamepaw."

The tabby looked confused for a moment, before quietly replying, "Cedar."

"Cedar? I like that. Aren't cedars, like, trees or something?" she asked.

Cedar nodded. "Momma told me that when she gave birth to me, her only shelter was a big cedar tree. Hence the name, I 'spose."

"Oh. That's awesome." Flamepaw smiled. "So… you're out here for help?"

"Yeah. I'm not going to last all by my lonesome. I'm only six moons old. I'm not old enough to live all alone," explained the blue-grey tabby.

"Well, you came to the right place! The warrior code says we have to help kits in need, and you're young enough to still be a kit. I'm still a kit myself, even though I'm an apprentice. I can take you back to my Clan, if you want." Flamepaw smiled. "Besides, you don't want to end up at DashClan. They're a bunch of fleabags."

"DashClan?" Cedar echoed questioningly.

"Yeah. They're a bunch cats who used to be rogues. A while back they were led by this super evil tom named Dashthief." She snorted. "What a stupid name. Anyways, they tried to take over our territory, but eventually we decided that they could have half. One of our really cool warriors managed to kill Dashthief, and then peace for everyone. Yay!"

"That's awesome… sorta." Cedar frowned. "Won't I be in danger here, though?"

"Nope! You'll have a brand new family, stocked with all the friends you'll ever need," Flamepaw told him. "You'll love it."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends. Friendship is the most important part of someone's life, you know." Flamepaw giggled. "When you join, I can be your bestest friend!"

Cedar frowned. "What is friendship?"

"What do you mean what is friendship?"

The tom lowered his eyes. "I don't know what friendship is. Is it an emotion? It is a type of prey?"

"No, silly! Friendship isn't an emotion, and it sure isn't prey. Friendship is… it's like…" Flamepaw frowned. "How do I explain what friendship is? Oh, I got it!" She smiled, and flicked her tail. "Come on, I'll teach you!"

The two scampered away, Flamepaw leading Cedar through the forest. She glanced at the tom. He was having trouble keeping up. She sped up, and soon disappeared from sight.

She could hear the tom calling her name. "Flamepaw? Flamepaw?"

Flamepaw laughed and dashed up a tree. When Cedar was back in sight, she leaped from the tree and landed on top of the tom, sending them both rolling through the undergrowth. The ginger apprentice laughed, and soon the tom's voice joined hers.

When they had stopped laughing, Cedar rolled away from Flamepaw, smiling. "How was that friendship?"

"If you weren't my friend, you would have gotten mad or upset… Maybe both! Friends look past mistakes and see the good side of everything friends do." Flamepaw smiled.

"This emotion is great! I-"

"No, silly. Friendship isn't an emotion. Friendship is a thing. It makes you _feel _emotions, but it itself is not an emotion," she told him. "Nice try, though. You'll get the hang of it eventually."

"You'll help me, right?" Cedar asked.

"Of course," she replied. "That's what friends are for. Now come on, let's get you to camp. I bet my brother will be your friend, too! His name is Scarpaw."

"Can't wait to meet him." Cedar smiled.

"Great! Now let's go!" Flamepaw flicked her tail before leading the tom back to camp, this time keeping careful watch to make sure he was keeping up.

When they got to camp, Cedar was looking nervous. He was trembling, just like when Flamepaw ran into him. She gave him a reassuring nudge before catching eyes of the Clan leader. "Momma!"

She could see the tom's surprise as she ran over to the ginger she-cat. Flamepaw buried her face into the leader's chest. "Hi, momma."

"Hello, darling. Who is that?" The leader's blue eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Cedar.

"That's Cedar. He's my age, and he needs help. His momma died, and he can't take care of himself. Can we help him?" Flamepaw was begging, or at least what she called begging. She didn't ask for much, but when she did, she was ready to break out the begging.

"I don't know, darling. Why don't you introduce me to him?"

"Okay!" Flamepaw gestured Cedar over, who came hesitantly. "Cedar, this is Froststar, the great leader of WolfClan and my amazing momma!"

Cedar was still trembling, but he managed to nod his head. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"How polite," purred Froststar. "Flamepaw tells me that you wish to join the Clan. She says that you need our help. Is this true?"

"Yes." Cedar flattened his ears.

The leader smiled. "No need to be embarrassed, Cedar. You're young. You'll learn. I need to speak with my deputy, and then we'll decide what to do with you."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Don't thank me just yet." Froststar walked away, soon joined by a sickly cat.

"That's my papa," whispered Flamepaw. "He's sick, but he's still a great deputy."

"Does he have greencough?" asked Cedar.

"Nope. He saved a drowning kit, and now he has water in his lungs. Shadowstorm, one of our warriors, knew this thing that will keep the water level from increasing," she told him.

"Oh. Which one is he?"

"_She _is not in camp right now. I don't see her, at least. But- Oh, there's my brother. Scarpaw, over here!" Flame called.

A scar-ridden ginger tom made his way over to the two. "Hey, sis. Who's this?"

"This is Cedar." Flamepaw turned to the tabby tom. "Cedar, this is my brother, Scarpaw."

"Nice to meet ya," both some said at the same time. They both glanced at Flamepaw, before all three burst out laughing.

"Good to know you'll get along nicely," she said, a smile planted on her face. "I hope you can stay. We'll have so much fun together."

Scarpaw smiled and, for no reason, tackled his sister to the ground. They rolled in the dirt of camp, until finally Cedar joined in, the three cats tumbling around like kits. Laughing and playing, Flamepaw felt like she was Flamekit again.

They stopped when they felt eyes on them, and she looked up to see Froststar was smiling at them, blue eyes gleaming. The leader nudged her deputy before her yowl rang throughout the camp. Cats gathered eagerly.

"Cats of WolfClan, today my daughter has brought a stranger into camp, a young tom by the name of Cedar. He lived in the abandoned barn until recently. His mother has passed on, and he has nowhere to go

"Adderblaze and I have decided that he would not stay."

Flamepaw gasped, and she glanced at Cedar, who has his ears flattened. She pressed against him to comfort him just as the ginger leader continued.

"But, due to a sudden change in mind, I have decided he will stay. My children have taken a liking to the tom, and I trust that they will be great friends. He will be a good addition to the Clan, and I hope you will all accept him with open paws." Froststar smiled. "Cedar, please step forward."

The tabby tom stepped forward, a nervous smile on his eager face.

"Cedar, is it your wish to join WolfClan?"

Cedar nodded. "Yes."

"Then, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cedarpaw. Your mentor will be Hawktalon. I hope Hawktalon passes down all he knows to you."

A white tom, spotted with brown, came forward, a look of surprise on his face. He was grinning.

Froststar continued. "Hawktalon, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Silverstorm, and you have shown yourself to be worthy. You will be the mentor of Cedarpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Flamepaw could barely see Hawktalon and Cedarpaw touch noses. Immediately, she began the chant. "Cedarpaw! Cedarpaw!" Others joined, and soon the whole Clan was cheering for the new apprentice.

When the meeting was finally over, Flamepaw scampered over to Cedarpaw, giving him a friendly nuzzle. "Congrats, Cedarpaw!"

"Thanks." The tabby tom smiled. "This is so exciting. I'm glad I have friends here already."

Flamepaw purred. "Just remember-"

"Friendship isn't an emotion!" This was said together, and they both burst out laughing once more.

**AN- 1782 words. Man, I haven't written anything from the WolfClan universe in quite some time.**


	28. Questions

The sun came in brightly and suddenly. It was already morning, and she wasn't ready to get up. She would probably never be ready to get up. _Can't I just stay asleep forever? That would be nice. I'm too old for getting up._ She sighed.

Blinking, the she-cat got to her paws. The den seemed unfamiliar to her, and she sighed once more. Where was she anyways? It was a nice den, obviously, but this didn't seem like her home. What would her home have been, anyways? A yawn barely escaped her jaws as she exited the den

It was nice outside. The sun warmed her fur and brought a glimmer to her amber eyes. She stretched, before searching the area. It was all unfamiliar, yet it still brought a sense of déjà vu, as if she'd been here her whole life. _But that's impossible. I've never been here. I don't even know how I got here._

"Hello?" she called out. She wasn't even sure why she was calling out. She seemed to be all alone out here. Yet, she still called. "Hello?"

After waiting a few moments, a voice finally reached her ears. "Milady?"

She turned suddenly, and was face to face with a fluffy-looking black-and-white tom. She was the only other one in the area, so she immediately assumed that she was the one being addressed. "Um, excuse me?"

Confusion flashed in his eyes, followed by concern. "Milady, are you feeling alright? Do you have a fever?" He stepped forward, but stopped when he saw the confusion in her own eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Do I even know you?" She was definitely confused. How did this tom know her? Maybe he had confused her with another she-cat. Then again, this tom looked smart. There would be no way he could be confused. So then how does he know her, and why does he keep calling her 'milady'?

"Fiora…" Hurt flashed in his eyes, and she felt guilty. Fiora… That _did _sound familiar to her. That must be her name, then. "It's me, Spottedfeather."

Spottedfeather… That sounded familiar as well. _That's him. He just said so_. "I…" She frowned. What was there to say? Fess up that she couldn't remember him anymore? That seemed horrible.

Spottedfeather flattened his ears. "You cannot remember me?"

Fiora shook her head. "No, I'm sorry."

The tom sighed. "I do not know how this is possible. We have lived together for moons… I- We-" He shook his head ever so slightly.

"For moons…" she echoed. Yes, that sounded right… sort of. Maybe? She couldn't remember. "I- That sounds… I'm not really sure how that sounds. It sounds right… just a bit…" She sighed. "I don't even know, anymore."

"Milady, we will figure this out. I promise. I will never, ever leave you, and we will figure this out together." Spottedfeather turned his head. "Basil should be back soon. He will help us while we work this out."

"Basil?" That name also sounded familiar in that way she wasn't sure of. It made no sense, really, but it seemed to work like that. The ginger she-cat sighed quietly. This was going to be complicated, she just knew it.

"Basil is our son, milady," the tom told her. It seemed to come out easily, or that's what it sounded like to Fiora.

"Our son," she echoed. She has a son. More importantly, this strange tom was her mate. Well, that's one way to blow her mind. _I'm missing a lot of things, aren't I?_ "Is he… Is he the only one?"

Spottedfeather shook his head. "No. We have four kits. Basil is the only one who still lives with us."

Fiora nodded. She thought back to when she woke up a few minutes back, and remembered seeing three nests. Obviously one was hers and one was Spottedfeather's. _The third one must be Basil's… my son._ "Where are the others?"

"Sage was… Sage was kitnapped when he was young. Mace and Pepper moved out. I guess they felt too old to live with their parents. Basil stayed because of you. You were the one who insisted that he should stay," he told her. "Mace and Pepper visit sometimes, but we haven't seen Sage since he was taken."

"Oh." Fiora frowned. Mace, Pepper, Sage? For the life of her she couldn't remember those names at all. Maybe it was because two of them moved out and one hasn't been seen in ages? Maybe. She hoped that was the case. She wanted to remember, with all her heart.

They were silent for many long heartbeats. It felt like minutes before Spottedfeather finally cleared his throat to speak. "Milady, are you hungry? I have something for you to eat, if you would like it."

"Oh, yes. Thank you." Fiora smiled as Spottedfeather grabbed a squirrel from who knows where and gave it to her. She buried all temptations to devour it in one bite, and instead took slow, steady bites, making sure to chew. She was really hungry, more than she had realized.

As she ate, Spottedfeather rambled on about their life together, starting from the moment they met, to their secret meetings, and then to their time stuck in a den together for a couple of days. Fiora soaked it all in, but she wasn't sure that she would remember. It was all a lot.

Then, he began to talk about what happened to his old home, a place called TacoClan. It went on about how he left the Clan, and he ran to her. From that moment, they became roommates. He talked about their times together before they became mates. How she taught him to play games, and how to have fun again.

Fiora was saddened, the more he talked. She didn't remember any of this. She wasn't even sure what the games he was talking about were. Fox and rabbit sounded like a stupid name for a game, really. She listened though. It was weird, hearing a story of her life, the way he had learned it.

By the time Spottedfeather finished, she had finished eating. Not everything had soaked in, but some of it she was able to keep in her mind. The details about how they met were fuzzy, but the games were full in her mind. It was easy to imagine them tumbling down a hill, laughing and smiling.

"It sounds like we had a great life together," she purred.

"Yes, it was wonderful. We had each other, even before we became mates," he said. The tom got to his paws, and he looked around. "Basil should be back soon. He will enjoy telling you stories of when he was younger."

Fiora smiled. "I can't wait. Does he look like me, or does he look like you?"

"He looks like you. Ginger fur, just like you." Spottedfeather smiled. "He's your son, for sure. He acts just like you, half the time."

"The other half?"

"He's just like me," he purred. "He loves to mimic me, due to my astounding vocabulary. I suppose it's easy to tease me." His whiskers twitched, and she laughed.

"It's one of the things I love about you," she purred.

His eyes lit up. "Are you remembering?"

"Just a little. I remember teasing you about the way you speak, good sir." She smiled, and got to her paws. "Hey, Basil is taking quite a while, isn't he? Are you sure that he's fine?"

"He will be fine. He goes near the barn way that way-" His tail pointed towards a direction that Fiora felt was random- "to hunt, because the barn mice seem to run out often."

"Ah. Smart. He must get it from you," she purred, amber eyes twinkling.

"He's very independent, just like you," he said back to her, grinning widely.

"Bof of you are wong. I'm shmarter and more independent then you bof," came a voice from behind Fiora. She turned around to see a grinning ginger cat. "Hi, momma."

"Oh…" Fiora sighed.

Spottedfeather stepped forward, now next to the she-cat. "Basil, son… We need to talk." He turned to Fiora. "Just give us a few moments."

Spottedfeather led their son away, and Fiora yearned to follow them. She bet that he would be outright about it, direct and whatnot. Basil would understand. He's smart, apparently. _I wonder what's wrong with his voice. It sounds too high pitched and… Is that a lisp? That's what it's called, isn't it? I wonder why._

When they returned, Basil immediately went to his mother and buried his face in her thin fur, even though he was taller than her. Fiora smiled fondly. "Basil, I want you to know that if I never get my memory back, I'll still love you."

"I no," he murmured. "Dun worry. We can geth thru thish." The ginger tom stepped away from her, a sad smile on his face. "You wirr have 'ur memoreh back een no thime."

"I believe you," Fiora purred.

**AN- 1502 words.**

**This would totes be canon in the future if it wasn't for Prin. Then again, if it wasn't for Prin, there would be no Spottedfeather/Fiora. D': There would also be no Basil/Odette in the future.**

**Mm, in the last chapter, I thought I'd let you all know that Cedarpaw and Flamepaw become mates in the future. Trufaxx.**


	29. Wishing

"Momma, tell us a story."

Swiftkit's eyes were wide, pleading and begging. Her tiny paws were kneading her mother's side, rapidly and repeatedly. She even had a fake frown on her face, just to add effect. Maybe she was taking this a little too overboard, but she didn't care. She _really_ wanted a story, because he mother told the best stories, even if she was the only one who told her stories.

"Swiftkit, if I tell you a story, will you go to sleep?" asked her mother, a small yawn escaping her jaws. She was tired. Messy fur, blinking eyes, occasional yawns. Yup, her mom was tired. It might have been fault; it might have been her brothers' fault. Either way, Pheasantflight was one tired kitty.

"Yes, of course. I'll go to sleep. Now, story time!" Swiftkit looked excited, super excited. Stories were her favorite. Moss ball was great, and sparring with her brothers was fun, but she absolutely loved stories. _I wish papa had good stories like momma does. I'll ask him later._ She paused in her bouncing long enough to curl up in front of her mother, ready for her story.

Pheasantflight smiled, and Swiftkit beamed at her mother. "Okay, I think I have the perfect story in mi-"

"You _think_, or you _know_?" asked the she-kit. "I don't want you stopping in the middle of the story, trying to think of what to say next. This has to be a constant move. Like rain!"

"Honey, rain stops eventua-"

"I know that rain stops eventually! Do I look like a kit to you?" Just as her mother opened her mouth to reply, Swiftkit cut her off. "You know what? Don't answer that. I know the answer. I'm not stupid. Can we just get to the story, please?"

"Sure thing," purred Pheasantflight. "Now, to make it perfectly clear, I _know_ for absolute certain what story I'm going to tell."

"Good," chirped the young kit.

The golden queen chuckled. "No interruptions. That is my only rule. Got it?"

"Yup!" Swiftkit nodded, her ears flapping back and forth as she did. She swiped at her ears with her paw, and then flopped down on the ground in defeat.

Purring, Pheasantflight began her story. "There was once a she-cat. She was plain, much too ordinary to be noticed by the others cats in her Clan. However, she was young, so she did not mind at all. She was an apprentice, and there was nothing in the world she would ever wish for.

"She did have friends, however. Two perfect friends that she would never replace in her entire life. They were close, and there was no part of their lives that they wanted to change. Yet, as they grew older, they realized that life was filling with things they needed. Famine plagued her Clan. Rogues invaded her Clan's land. She found herself wishing for many things. She wished for bountiful prey and for safe lands. She wished for her friends and family to always be safe." Pheasantflight frowned.

Swiftkit listened intently. _I wonder if she was real? I hope I don't end up like this! I'm only a kit, for StarClan's sake! _She snorted silently. _I'll be fine. I have momma and papa… and I guess I have Fishkit and Pebblekit._

"However, no matter how much she wished and prayed, bad things happened all around her. The famine raged on, the rogues became worse and worse, and she began to lose her family and clanmates. Devastation hit her so suddenly, but she appeared to be fine. She had her two best friends, and even found another friend to keep her emotions even. She would always be fine, or so she thought. She stopped wishing. She didn't think she needed it anymore.

"Not only that, but she was falling in love as well, though at the time she didn't know. Maybe she was afraid to fall in love, she wasn't sure. Either way, she found her life taking too many turns at once. Her heart began to wish without her knowing. Her warrior ceremony came, and she was so happy. However, that happiness was not to last forever. Nothing ever did really." The queen sighed.

"Her half-sister ran off that same day. She ran after her sister, because her sister didn't know the forest like she did. In the forest, she found herself face to face with an evil rogue, one she knew. The only thing she knew to do was protect her sister, so she attacked the rogue. The fight was vicious, but the rogue came out on top. He brutally injured the she-cat. If it wasn't for Mr. Love Interest, she would have died. The crush she didn't even know she had saved her life that day. It was that moment that she realized she loved him. It wasn't just a simple little crush. It was full out love. She promised herself that she would tell him how she felt when she was out of the medicine cats' den."

Swiftkit smiled. _Love stories. My favorite! I hope they get together. I do really hope so._

"The medicine cat and his apprentice both agreed that the she-cat should stay in their den for a few days. It was fine with her, because she was in no condition to do much. She could barely leave without help. (She got help from her crush, lucky her.)" Her mother cracked a small smile. "However, while she was in the den, one of the she-cats in her Clan broke it off with her mate for the love interest tom. Heart broken, the she-cat was devastated. When she was finally able to walk, she told the tom how she felt, though she knew it was too late."

Swiftkit frowned, her small kit ears flattened. _That sucks. I wonder why momma is avoiding using names?_

"The tom promised that they would be friends, but she knew that their friendship would be too awkward, so she avoided him for the longest time. When his mate, along with the other queens, left, the awkwardness left. They were able to have fun again. They were able to laugh together, and to play together. She was happy. Still, she knew it wouldn't last. The queens came back, and their friendship was lost once more.

"Rogues attacked their Clan, causing even more devastation and horror. It was a brutal attack, enough to make the Clan leave their home and flee. They were all split into smaller groups, so that it would be easier to keep track of everyone. Our favorite she-cat was put into the group with her leader and her sister's kits. She was pleased by this. She enjoyed her time with her little group, and found that she no longer wished to be with the tom who got away." Pheasantflight smiled, and Swiftkit giggled.

"Soon, wishes were no longer something she needed. She found someone else to love in the one cat she never expected, and she had a wonderful kits. Her first love became her best friend together. Though it was still awkward at times, they became like siblings. Life was at ease for the she-cat, and finally she was able to be happy for the rest of her life." The queen purred. "The end."

"But momma, what were their names?" asked Swiftkit.

"You'll have to ask your uncle Fishface, darling," the golden she-cat said.

"You mean uncle Cedarwhisker? Do I have to? I think he's busy," argued Swiftkit. "Can't you just tell me?"

"Sorry, darling, but all I promised you was a story. I never said I'd give you any names. I'll just tell you this: These cats are in our Clan." Pheasantflight chuckled.

"Momma, of course they're in our Clan. I'm a kit, not stupid. You'll at least tell me when I'm older, right?" The young kit asked.

"I suppose, but on one condition. You have to remind me. It'll be your present when you become an apprentice." Her mother grabbed her with a paw and pulled the kit to her belly. "Now, you said you would go to sleep."

"I'm not sleepy. I'm too curious about the story, momma. Besides, it's not a good story without names. No story is complete without names. Also, you stopped to giggle and smile and sigh. I told you the story had to be constant. Besides, I never promised to go to sleep." Swiftkit escaped her mother's grasp and darted to the other side of the nursery.

"Oh, so you're telling me you lied?" Pheasantflight frowned. "Do I have to tell your father?" She cocked an 'eyebrow'.

"Momma, that's not fair game! This is between you and me. You can't throw papa in. That's cheating," argued the kit. "Besides, you know that papa can't take a joke like that. I don't like it when he gets upset."

The golden queen rolled her eyes. "Swiftkit, one day your father is going to pull a prank on you, and then you'll realize that he isn't the sourpuss you think he is."

"Whatever, mom. Will you at least tell me what the wishes were?" Swiftkit asked.

"No. Now go to sleep," said the golden queen sternly.

"Fine." Swiftkit pouted, but she gave in and curled up by her mother's belly, right next to her brothers. "I wish you'd let me stay up later," she mumbled.

**AN- 1561 words. All written in, like, under two hours. Be proud of me. :D**


	30. Crackling

"From this day forward, until they have earned their warriors names, they shall be known as Blazepaw and Frostpaw."

Happiness drowned Blazepaw as his head was held high for all to see. His pelt brushed that of his best friend, Frostkit. _No, she's Frostpaw now._ He didn't even hear the name of his mentor, his happiness buzzing in his ears. When a warrior stepped in front of him, reaching down for them to touch noses, Blazepaw's joy shot upwards. In front of him stood Silverheart. When they touched noses, the silver she-cat's nose felt warm, as if she was blushing.

Blazepaw's yellow eyes glanced over at Frostpaw, who was greeting her new mentor, Stormclaw, Silverheart's brother. Seeing this, the new apprentice knew that he and his best friend would be training together a lot. Pleased with how this ended, Blazepaw turned to chat with his new mentor. However, the silver warrior had disappeared into the crowd. He turned to see that Stormclaw had also vanished. He frowned, but headed over to Frostpaw anyways.

"Isn't this exciting? Our mentors are littermates! That means we'll get to train together all the time," he purred.

"I know. I'm so happy I just might burst! Oh, but I won't. I don't think that's possible." Frostpaw's green eyes were shining at him, and Blazepaw couldn't help but to smile even more.

"I wonder where they went… It's still early. Shouldn't they be showing us around the territory?" Blazepaw looked around, but he still could not see the grey pelts of their mentors.

"I bet they went to talk about training plans. I mean, that's what I would do if I had an apprentice. But I don't, so I guess they could be doing anything!" Frostpaw giggled. "Maybe they needed some alone time."

"Oh, gross. Frostpaw, they're littermates!" Blazepaw gave her a weak hit with his head.

Frostpaw looked confused for a moment, and then it finally clicked. "That's not what I meant, furball!" she said with protest, nipping at Blazepaw.

"I know. I was just kidding. Calm down, Frostpaw." Blazepaw smiled. "Now come on, let's go check out the apprentices' den."

"Sounds like a plan!" Frostpaw dashed for the den, leaving Blazepaw in the dust to catch up. When the ginger tom finally caught up, he could see Frostpaw happily chatting with Sandpaw. When the she-cat finally caught sight of him, she flicked her tail, gesturing for him to join in.

"Hey," greeted Blazepaw with a nod of his head.

"Hi," mumbled Sandpaw, averting his gaze.

"Hey Blazepaw, remember when we used to play with Sandpaw in the nursery? Oh, but he was Sandkit back then, and you were Blazekit and I was Frostkit. But you remember, don't you? We used to play fox and rabbit all night and kept our mothers up!"

Blazepaw chuckled. "I remember."

"Oh, and Sandpaw said he'd help us with our nests. He's going to put them next to his! Isn't that great?" The white apprentice smiled.

"Oh yes. That's great." The ginger tom turned to Sandpaw. "Thanks for that."

"It's no problem at all," muttered the pale tan apprentice. "Anything for my best friends." Best friends seemed to be strained when he said it, and the tom's gaze was still looking away from them.

"Here that, Blazepaw? We're his best friends. Isn't that great?" Frostpaw's enthusiasm was enough to make Blazepaw forget that their 'best friend' was acting weird.

"Of course," he purred. Blazepaw's ears perked as he heard his name being called, as well as Frostpaw's. "Come on, Frostpaw. I think that's our mentors." Blazepaw raced out, hearing a "Coming!" from the white she-cat as he did.

He almost ran into Silverheart as he slid out from the apprentices' den. His mentor giggled, as did Frostpaw from behind him. Happy amber eyes looked down at him, and Blazepaw could feel himself smiling.

"Come on, Blazepaw. I'm taking you on a tour around the territory," she purred.

"Oh, cool. Is Frostpaw coming?" he asked, glancing at the white she-cat.

"Of course. Stormclaw is busy, so I'll be taking care of both of you for the time being." Silverheart's eyes trailed to Frostpaw, and Blazepaw was sure that he saw some sort of anger or _Maybe jealousy?_

"Oh, yay!" exclaimed Frostpaw happily. "I'm so excited. I've never been out of camp before. Never ever!"

Blazepaw purred. "Calm down, Frostpaw. You don't want to tire yourself out before the tour even begins."

"I'll never tire out," the white apprentice purred. "I still have all of my kit energy. Oh, I'm so excited. Can we go, Silverheart?"

"Sure thing. Let's head out. Any longer and it'll be night by the time we get back!" The warrior chuckled, and flicked her tail, leading the two apprentices out of the forest.

The tour went by faster than Blazepaw had hoped. The image of the forest in his head was replaced by what it really looked like. He learned about the other Clans, Silverheart chattering about how smelly RiverClan was and how stupid WindClan was. She barely mentioned ThunderClan, muttering something about stupid kittypets as she eyed the territory warily. Even ShadowClan was talked about badly. I guess SkyClan is the only good Clan out here.

When they got back to camp, Blazepaw was tired and hungry. Frostpaw was the only one with enough energy to grab a squirrel and herd him into the apprentices' den. It was easy for him to flop into his nest, but hard for him to not eat the entire squirrel.

Frostpaw's eyes were gleaming as they rested, ready to fall asleep. They finished eating, and Blazepaw was almost too tired to do anything. The white she-cat next to him seemed to be the only one able to lift her head more than a mouselength.

"Sure was fun, wasn't it, Blazepaw? The territory is so pretty, and- Eek!" Frostpaw's head flew to the ginger tom's shoulder as a loud and sudden rumble of thunder sounded. "I thought it wasn't going to rain."

Blazepaw nudged the terrified apprentice. "It's just a little storm. It'll be fine."

The white she-cat looked up, eyes still filled with fear. "You sure?"

He nodded. "I won't let anything hurt you, Frostpaw. I'm your best friend." He gave her another friendly nudge. "Now get some sleep. I bet we're doing hunting practice tomorrow."

She nodded. "Okay. Goodnight, Blazepaw," she purred.

Blazepaw smiled as he curled up, his tail draped over his paws. He shut his eyes, and fell asleep easily.

He shot up to the sound of a scream. He opened his eyes to see blazing light. _Fire! _He ran out of the den and into camp. Cats were already evacuating as the crackling of fire grew louder. Warriors carried the queens and kits, and elders were coughing as they left camp with a slower pace. Even Sandpaw was already leaving camp, his tail draped around his sister. No one paid the apprentices and heed, and Blazepaw began to leave, thinking that everyone was fine.

He found the clearing that everyone was grouped in easily. His leader, Cloudstar, was standing in the middle of a large group of cats. "Is everyone here?" he asked.

"Queens and kits are here," shouted one cat.

"Elders are here," reported another.

"All the warriors made it," meowed a cat.

"Medicine cats are here!"

Blazepaw looked around. He began counting cats, but he couldn't see the white pelt of Frostpaw. _Maybe she's just hiding. _"I don't see Frostpaw," he shouted.

Cloudstar looked around. "Nor do I. Has anyone seen Frostpaw?"

Everyone was silent, including Sandpaw. Blazepaw frowned.

"Let's just hope she made it out. We can't risk sending anyone into camp with that fire going." Cloudstar sighed. "We will stay here until the fire has gone out. The..."

Blazepaw didn't listen. He growled low. _I can't leave her there! It's dangerous. She must be scared. I have to get her. I have to. I have to... _He found himself running from the group, hoping that no one noticed. He had to get to Frostpaw before it was too late.

Before he realized it, he found himself in the middle of the burning camp, the crackling of the fire loud in his ears. "Frostpaw!" He heard to reply.

He dashed towards the apprentices' den, where fire covered the entrance. He managed to weave through with minimal burns. He looked around frantically for his friend, then finally caught sight of her white fur. He grabbed her scruff and began to drag her out. It was obvious to him that she had passed out from the smoke. Who knew how much longer she would have lasted?

He managed to get Frostpaw out of the apprentices' den without letting her touch the fire, but his own fur had caught ablaze without him realizing it. He set her in the middle of camp as a flame ate away at his tail.

"Frostpaw, get up. I can't drag you any farther. Please, I need you to get up," the ginger tom begged. "I need you to get up, Frostpaw. I can't get out without you."

The fire trailed up his tail, and reached his back. His flesh burned, yet he still did not notice.

"Frostpaw, the fire is too big. Please, the smoke will be too much. Frostpaw, please." Blazepaw buried his head in her fur. "Please, you're my best friend. I need you."

"I knew it," a voice whispered. Blazepaw looked up to see green eyes, dull and barely open. "I knew you needed me. I knew you couldn't go a second without me."

"Frostpaw..." He barely managed a smile. "Frostpaw, you need to get up. It's time to go."

"I can't, Blazepaw. It's my time. It's yours, too." Frostpaw barely lifted her head, and her tongue rasped over the tom's cheek. "Goodbye, Blazepaw. I'll see you in StarClan." Her head dropped, and her eyes shut.

"No, Frostpaw. _No. _You can't leave me here. I won't let you die." He tried to get up, tried to move her, but he couldn't. He still couldn't feel the fire that crawled up his back and burned his ears. "Don't leave me here. It's not our time. Not yet. It can't be. Please, Frostpaw. I'm not ready for this. _Please_. I promised I wouldn't let anything hurt you."

The fire crackled and popped in his ears, but when he yowled into the night sky, that was not the reason. When he felt nothing but pain before he died, it was because he lost. He loat his best friend in the entire world. He lost the chance to be warriors with Frostpaw. He lost the chance to fight in a battle. All of those chances were gone. And still, the fire burned.

**AN- 1,792 words, apparently. Good for me. :3**


	31. Curl Up

Snow. There was lots and lots of snow. I always found the strange white substance to be amazing, and it came in greater abundance here than it did back in the forest. I liked it. I liked to play in it and look at it. Though I did not care for the cold, snow was my favorite part of leaf-bare.

I had fallen asleep sometime in the night. Of course I had. Being an apprentice during this particular season was one way to wear out a young cat like me. I never liked to sleep, mostly because I worried about my sister, but this was one of the few exceptions.

My eyes trailed to the den's entrance. It was still late at night, probably the peek of midnight. I couldn't have sleep for more than a few hours. Knowing myself, it was most likely less. The starlight, combined with the moonlight, were enough to barely illuminate the old burrow.

It also illuminated the silvery pelt of my sister, who was sleeping soundly. She looked so comfortable, curled up in her mossy nest, and I smiled. She was like our mother in so many ways. Though my memories of her were brief, mostly us curled up together, I could still see the similarities. The gentle face, the sleek, soft pelt, the all out beauty. It was easy to compare the two she-cats. I also knew the similarities between her and our father. Their eyes were the same, kind and full of life.

But the biggest thing about her, the one thing that made me want to put her ahead of my own life, is her innocence. She was sweet and kind, treating life like it was just a big pile of sunshine and rainbows. That she would never go hungry or be hurt, physically, mentally, or emotionally. In my eyes, she was still a kit who needed my protection.

Images of my sister suddenly flashed in my mind. Her face full of anguish, her blue eyes filled with fear, almost made me squeak. Minnowpaw crouched next to me, covered in the blood of our mother and the dog that killed her. Images of a dead silver she-cat laying in the middle of our rocky camp almost took my breath away.

I sighed, and blinked as hard as I could. The images- if they could even be called that- disappeared, and I sighed once more, this time a sigh of relief. Next to me, one of the younger apprentices stirred. I held my breath, and the young cat stopped fidgeting. Phew.

My eyes caught the pelt of the red tabby apprentice, as well as the to other ginger pelts next to his. Brief memories of entering the old Clan camp in the forest with them flashed in my mind. Almost everyone had forgotten that the three used to be four. I didn't forget, but frankly, at points I just didn't care. I didn't care because they were happy.

They were happy, with a loving mother and caring father. Though I had a hunch that the russet warrior was not their father. My uncle was just not the right color. Wait...

It was times like this that reminded him that I have other family besides my sister and deceased parents. I have uncles, an aunt, and a caring adoptive father. My "cousins"- I counted the trio of red and ginger apprentices to be my cousins- and my Clan in its fullness.

My ears perked as I heard the sounds of whimpering. When I turned my head, I found that my sister was the source. She was shivering, and her fur was bristling. Her ears were laid back as well, and I was starting to worry. Minnowpaw wasn't one for nightmares. Normally she was the one waking me from my nightmares. (Although I denied it every time. She's very persistent.) I waited for a few moments before getting to my paws. This nightmare wasn't going to shake anytime soon.

I padded over to her as silently as I could and gave her a light tap with my paw. "Minnowpaw, get up," I whispered.

She shot up, her blue eyes wild with fear. She looked around for a few heartbeats before her eyes settled on me. "Oh, Mousepaw. It's just you."

"Yes, it's just me. Are you okay? I am more than certain that you were having a nightmare."

"And I am more than certain that you weren't sleeping again," she shot back playfully. "You should be asleep. Stop worrying about me. I'm fine."

"No, you aren't. Now tell me what it was about." I gave her my 'tell me or else' glare, which made her giggle. I sighed, rolling my golden eyes.

"You're so silly." She was still giggling, which slightly distorted her words. I gave her a bat on the nose, and she immediately stopped giggling. "Okay, geez. Stop being such a spoil sport. You used to be fun."

"I'm still fun," I objected with a frown.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, dear brother of mine." I glared at her once more, and she giggled again. "You know... I'm only stalling because I actually don't remember what the dream, nightmare, whatever was about. All I remember is that I was scared out of my pelt. Maybe even literally!"

"That bad, huh?"

"Not as bad as the one's you have, I bet." Minnowpaw giggled again. Boy, she sure could get giggly at night.

"Shut up. I don't have nightmares."

"Oh, that's right. You don't. You don't even sleep. With a fact like that, how could I be so stupid as to assume you have nightmares? I'm so sorry, Mousepaw." It was all sarcasm. I could hear every bit of it.

I hissed. "Just shut up and go back to sleep. You need your rest."

For a moment, I thought she was going to yell at me for being a hypocrite. In the end, she just raged at me silently, but not before muttering a "Fine". She curled into her nest, facing away from me.

I turned away from her. She could be a brat all she wants. I really didn't give a rat's tail. I curled into my own nest and shut my eyes. Of course, I didn't expect to fall asleep. And sure enough, I didn't.

Many, many moments later, I could once more hear whimpering. I cracked open one eye, and, sure enough, it was Minnowpaw. This time, her fur wasn't bristling. She was shivering fiercely once more. The whimpering was what was getting to me, though.

I thought back to my earlier memories of when we played in the new snow. That night, she had also whimpered. It was just the same. The sound of wishing for warmth and comfort. I knew her. She wanted our mother, to curl by her belly and snuggle against her soft fur.

I frowned. Now, she had no one to do that with. I got to my paws once more and, after stretching all of my limbs, I curled around the silver apprentice. I was bigger than her now, so it was easy to do so. Slowly but surely, her shivering began to cease, and the whimpering stopped. She was warming up, and hopefully she was happy in her dreams.

I shut my eyes. When her shivering had ceased, it made me remember that there was still snow outside, and that it was freezing cold in the den. I took the brute force of the cold, yet I still managed to not shiver. I just hoped that by morning my whiskers do not become icicles.

Though I was freezing my tail off, somehow I managed to become comfortable. I knew it was because curled around my sister, it was the best place to be.

When morning came, I discovered that sometime in the night I had fallen asleep. Someone had draped moss over me, like a makeshift blanket. I was pretty warm when I woke that morning. Minnowpaw was gone, so I assumed that she topped me in moss.

When I got up to stretch, the moss fell to the ground perfectly. No bits clung to my fur, but maybe that was because the outside of the blanket was completely frozen. I groaned and left the den reluctantly.

I glanced around. I didn't see my silver sister in camp, which probably means that I slept in. Shimmertail wasn't around, either. Normally my mentor would have woken me up. I yawned, and suddenly was attacked.

I fell to the ground with an oompth. My attacker was obvious. "Minnowpaw, get off," I said with a grunt.

"Sorry, sleepyhead." I felt the weight shift off of my body, and I got back to my paws. "You slept." It wasn't a question.

"I did." I cracked a small smile. It must have been enough for her, because she began to drag me out of camp.

"Come on! Shimmertail is waiting for us. You never keep a she-cat waiting. Let's hurry!"

I managed to get out of her grip easily, and zoomed past her. "I'll beat you there!"

A silver streak passed by me. "Oh no you won't!"

* * *

><p><strong>IT'S ALIVE!<strong>

**Hehe, hey guys. Sorry for the wait. My computer shut down, and then I just didn't feel like writing. *-***

**But yeah, this chapter is mostly about Mousepaw reminiscing about things and whatnot.**

**Also, his uncles are Cedarwhisker (who you may have met) and Stonestorm. His aunt is Pheasantflight (who you have met) and his adoptive father is Smokestar. Eee.**

**And now for the word count! Our total comes to: 1567 words! Yay!**


	32. Together

Claws. Teeth. Blood. A battle that ended with death and despair. Neither side won, nor did either side lose. It was a draw, resulting in what neither could ever get back. Life. Love. Happiness. One battle took that all away from these cats. A new start with new lives. That's what they had hoped for, but lost all for a meaningless war.

One side was small in number, and traveled back to the barn where they lived together. They came home to friends who had not joined them in the battle, being this not their fight. The healing would take a long time, for much damage was done. Small in number, but great in hurt. They were known at the time as Maelstrom's Army.

The other side was just as ravaged, though they were bigger in number. More cats, yet weak. Weak from hunger and cold. Though they fought valiantly for each other, they could do nothing to stop their numbers from descending, until finally too much death had found its way to them, and they were forced to leave their forest home in search of new land, a fresh start. They were known as TacoClan.

Though knowing the story that lies in the forest that was left behind, curiosity can still take over a cat. What the band of rogues is up to now, who occupies the forest that used to be a home, what happened to the dead they left behind. Questions that popped up in the mind of a certain cat from a certain group of warriors. She was given the opportunity, and she took it, knowing the consequences that would come when she returned to her family.

There was a visitor that day, a strange one that she had never seen before. He looked weird, smelled weird, and spoke weirdly. She had never seen this tom before, yet he was greeted by others with a warm smile. Her leader was surprised, and very angry, to see him. It took hushed whispers from the tom's mate to calm him down and hear this stranger out.

Minnowpaw didn't hear much of that conversation. She was soon able to figure out that this stranger used to be one of them. That he used to live with them. That he still lives near their old home. Too excited to care, the silver apprentice was ready to ambush the visiting tom with question after question.

She waited, patiently like a good girl, for the conversation to finish, but she never got the chance to ask her questions. He was turned away, and if she had been listening, Minnowpaw would have known why. But she hadn't listened, so she didn't know why he was here, why he was turned away, and why he looked ready to break down.

The tom left the camp, head held high, as if he was fine that he was rejected by his former clanmates. The she-cat could hear arguing behind her as she quietly slipped out of camp. No one seemed to notice, until she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She turned on her paws and hissed.

From the brush came the tom who had visited her camp. Standing larger than her, Minnowpaw was intimidated. "Why are you following me?"

The silvery she-cat flinched. So he knew, read her like an open book. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask you some questions, but I never got the chance."

The tom narrowed his eyes, but his expression stayed neutral. "I understand completely. I am Spottedfeather, former member of you Clan, and I am quite sure that I know what you want to ask me."

So the tom began to speak, and somehow, he managed to answer all of Minnowpaw's questions, all but one. He came from Griffin Hill, a piece of land next to their old home. Awhile back, his mate gave birth to four beautiful kits. However, one was stolen by a she-cat named Brand, due to the fact that he and his mate would not join her army. Alone, Spottedfeather could not hope to take on Brand and her group. this is why he came to the mountains. He was able to track down where the Clan had gone, and he came for help, so that he could get his kit back.

He also told her that no one was really sure what happened to Maelstrom's army, and that the old forest home of the Clan was taken by Brand.

All this Minnowpaw took in with wide eyes. "That's horrible. I'm so sorry."

"It took a long time to get here. To have been turned away, knowing that I left my mate all alone with three kits..." The tom stopped. "When I get back, I do not know what will happen."

Minnowpaw frowned. "I'm sorry Papa Smoky sent you away."

"Papa Smoky?" Spottedfeather raised a nonexistent eyebrow in what the she-cat hoped was amusement.

"Hey, I grew up with him as a father. Shut up." Minnowpaw smiled. "I- I will go with you. I'm almost a warrior, and I'm a great fighter. I can help. Take me with you."

He shook his head. "I cannot do that. You belong here, with your family and-" His whiskers twitched. "- Papa Smoky."

"No, I don't belong here. I love my brother, and I love Papa Smoky and Aunty Phes, but this isn't me. I don't want to get up every morning and spar with my friends or track down prey because I was told to. I want to do things when I want to, and I can never do that. Not when I'm in the Clan and especially not when I'm with my brother." Minnowpaw sighed. "This just isn't me. I want to go with you. Please."

"I... I understand. I will take you with me," he said quietly.

Minnowpaw smiled. "Oh, thank you! I promise I will do whatever it takes to help you get your kit back."

"We cannot hope to get my son back, not with just us two. I do appreciate the thought, though. Come now, we must be going. We have a long walk ahead of us."

So they left, and not once did Minnowpaw think about SmokeClan. She did not think about her brother or her adoptive parents. She didn't think about what she left behind. She didn't care that the trip was long, or that she would never see her Clan again. So when they finally arrived in Griffin Hill, the young she-cat was excited.

Spottedfeather also seemed to be excited. He took her to his home, a surprisingly big den that easily fit multiple cats. There she met Fiora and the three kit they had left. Minnowpaw stayed the night with them, but that morning, she left. She had spoken with Fiora before she left, though, so that she did not feel bad about abandoning the cats who were willing to take her in.

"I'm leaving, Fiora. I appreciate you letting me stay with you, but I just can't. I have to go. Give Spottedfeather my thanks. Thanks for everything, and goodbye." With that, she had left.

The young cat found herself doing a lot of walking. She didn't mind, though. She felt that she was the traveling sort, someone who could not stay in one place for too long. She kept that in mind each time her former Clan came to mind. So she walked, and soon, she found herself in an even stranger place than the mountains she used to call her home.

This place she was in emitted strange scents and sounds. There were few trees, but many tall dens everywhere. It was different, but for some strange reason, Minnowpaw liked it. She continued walking, taking in the new sights. It was beautiful in that weird, strange, and smelly sort of way.

Somehow, everything was quiet and peaceful, even though it was around sunhigh. She passed by many tall dens, until finally her eyes spotted a group of trees. Excitement filled her, thoughts of fresh prey and cleaner scents passing through her mind. She ran towards it with glee.

She entered, and when she was past the tall trees, she saw that this wasn't what she thought it was. There was a strange object that created a ring, which is also what the trees did. There was another weird object, but no one was near it. It seemed that Minnowpaw was the only cat there. She found it oddly comforting.

The silver she-cat began to explore the place. The scents were much less mingled than where the tall dens were. Most of the grass near the tall object that made a ring around the land was pretty. She sniffed around, recognizing the scent of prey. She looked around, tasting the air, until she found the source coming from a patch of shaggy looking grass.

Remembering her hunting from the past, Minnowpaw crouched down and moved forward slowly. The grass was beginning to rustle, and the young cat prepared to leap. Right before she did, she heard a voice call out. "Hey!"

Confused, Minnowpaw turned around. From a distance, she could see a blotch of dark brown. The figure was running towards her, and she soon knew it to be a cat. At first look, he seemed to be around her age.

"Are you stupid? What are you doing near the fence?" The tom looked at her sternly, and she frowned.

"I was hunting before you rudely interrupted me," she hissed. "You mousebrain! I bet you scared it away."

"The only thing I scared away was your common sense! Don't you know it's dangerous near the fence?" he asked.

"I, uh... What's a fence?" Minnowpaw glanced at the tall border. "That thing? Is that what it's called?"

"Of course that's the fence. Geez, it's like you've never been to a city before- You've been to a city before, have you?"

"Uh..." Minnowpaw shook her head. "Is that what this weird place is called? A city?"

The tom sighed, but soon his eyes widened. Minnowpaw wasn't sure why, but when she turned to look, a snake had slithered from the bushes. Stricken with fear she didn't know she had, Minnowpaw was unable to move.

"What are you doing? Move!" commanded the tabby.

At this point, Minnowpaw was shaking. The snake slithered closer, its tongue flicking in and out every so often. Silver fur bristled, blue eyes wide. Never before had the she-cat felt so afraid, so helpless.

The snake was closer now, and right when it was about to strike, she felt herself get pushed aside. She grunted when her body hit the ground. Finally out of her dazed fear, she looked up to see the tom holding a limp snake in his jaws.

"You're lucky I saw that snake," he mumbled through the prey in his mouth. "You'd probably be dead. Are you okay?"

Minnowpaw shook her head. "No, I'm not okay. That's never happened to me before. I've never done that before. I froze up like a mousebrain." She sighed.

The tom looked at her with worried amber eyes. "It's okay. The city is a pretty dangerous place." She said nothing, so he continued. "Hey, why don't you come back with me? Then later I can show you around the city. I bet Bott will come, too. It'll be fun. What do you say?"

The silver she-cat looked at him. He seemed nice, genuinely nice. He almost reminded her of Mousepaw. Finally, she answered. "Sure. That- That would be great."

The tom flicked his tail. "Just follow me." He turned to leave, but stopped for a moment. "Oh, and I'm Bennett."

Minnowpaw paused. Dare she tell this Bennett her real name? She considered for a moment, before finally saying, "I'm Minnowpaw."

"Minnowpaw, eh? Strange name, but can't say it's the strangest name I've ever heard. Now come on. Let's go."

Bennett led her through the city, pausing every so often to point something out to her, mostly places she should not go. After walking for awhile, they finally came to the strangest looking den of all.

"This is the headquarter of Castion himself. He's the leader of the city. Some cats call him the Sun King. Isn't that cool?"

Minnowpaw nodded slowly. "And this is where you live?"

Bennett returned his own nod, his much eager. "Yup. My aunt lives here, too." He flicked his tail. "I can't wait for you to meet them. You'll love them, I promise."

She followed the dark brown tom inside, a bit overwhelmed by the size and smell of the large den. When they came to a large opening, Minnowpaw could see a large number of cats occupying space. She flattened her ears as one approached.

"Mister Bennett, Castion has been waiting for you. He wants you to meet him and- Who is that?" The large tom narrowed his eyes at her.

"This is my new friend. Don't worry about her. She's staying with me." Bennett sent a smile towards the silver she-cat. "Carry on."

"Very well." Without another word, the tom left.

"Who's that?" Minnowpaw immediately asked.

"Just one of Castion's guards. He's harmless, I swear. As long as your with me, he won't touch a hair on your pelt," Bennett said. "We better get going. Never keep a king waiting."

Once again, Bennett led Minnowpaw, this time through the large den that he called a headquarter. Down one corridor, through another. Finally, they went through a weird leaf-like object that Bennett told her was a curtain. Waiting in there was a giant golden tom, or at least, that's what Minnowpaw saw.

"Ah, Bennett. I see you have brought a she-cat with you." His eyes were on her, and it took all her willpower not to flinch away. "May I ask your name, young miss?"

"I'm Minnowpaw," she told him.

"Welcome Minnowpaw." His gaze went straight back to Bennett. "Would you like to spend time with your friend? It is quite alright if you do. I could never let you turn away such a nice she-cat."

"That would be great, sir. I was hoping that Bottle and I could take her on a tour around the city," Bennett said.

"Young Bottle is busy today, but I assure you that you may still take her on a tour, seeing that she is not from here. A foreign girl with a foreign name." Castion chuckled. "Well, go ahead then. I will let your aunt know that you will be busy today so that she does not worry." He gave them a crooked smile. "Have fun, Bennett."

"Thank you!" Bennett turned to Minnowpaw. "Come on, let's go."

As the young tom charged through the curtains, the silvery she-cat turned to Castion and muttered a quick thanks before following the tabby through the curtains and then through the headquarter itself. Finally, they emerged outside. To Minnowpaw, it felt like they had never even gone inside. It was such a short amount of time, but she didn't mind.

Bennett led her through every nook and cranny of the city, chattering about each place. He explained the significance of each location, why each was important to Castion and the city as a whole. They had even passed by the fenced-in place, which Minnowpaw found herself smiling about. They passed by den after den, which Bennett told her were called buildings.

After possibly hours of walking, Bennett took her to an abandoned building for a break. It wasn't big, and they were easily able to climb to the slanted roof. It was shady, being protected from the sun by the taller buildings surrounding the small structure. So there they sat, claws dug into the shingles, and there they chatted quietly about whatever came up, which ended up being Minnowpaw.

"So where do you come from?"

"I..." Minnowpaw knew where she was from. It was clearer than the back of her paw. But for some reason, she wasn't sure how to say it. "I'm from a lot of places, actually. I was born in a forest, and my-" She cleared her throat. "- family moved to the mountains after awhile. It's really pretty there. The mountains are tall and usually capped with snow. There's a beautiful lake, and the most amazing meadow ever."

"It sounds nice," Bennett said. "What about your family? Don't they miss you?"

"I'm sure they miss me just as much as I miss them." She sighed. "Especially my brother. I'm sure everyday he waits for me to come home. What about you?"

"Well... I guess like you, I left my family behind. I came here, leaving behind my mom and sisters. I guess my aunt followed me here, 'cause she showed up soon after. I miss my mom, though, and my sisters..." Bennett trailed off.

Minnowpaw looked at the tom, who seemed to be lost in thought. She nudged him. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I guess I miss them more than I thought." He sighed quietly, one that Minnowpaw barely heard. "Let's go, I guess. This is bumming me out."

"Okay." Minnowpaw got to her paws, and slowly made her way towards the vines they had climbed up. She could hear Bennett behind her, hearing the slight creaks the building made when they walked. Suddenly, she heard Bennett call her name, and when she turned around, the shingles around her paws gave way.

A slanted roof was not the best idea for a resting place, because as soon as those broke away, Minnowpaw fell over and rolled down the roof. She barely managed to catch the edge of the roof with her claws, her back legs and tail dangling in the open air. Her back paws kicked around, trying to reach for something to prop herself on. Her paws found nothing.

The she-cat started to panic, her breathing becoming heavier and her fur bristling. "Bennett, help!" Her voice sounded strained, scared. She could barely recognize her own voice. "Bennett!"

"I'm coming!" It was like he appeared out of nowhere, a dark brown hero saving a damsel in distress. He gripped her paws with his own. She could feel him straining to pull her up, but it was no use. He grabbed her scruff in his teeth, but he still could not pull her up. "I- I'll go get help-"

"No!" Minnowpaw looked up at him. "Please don't leave me. There has to be another way. Just, don't leave me."

Bennett blinked, but still he nodded. "Okay. Just give me a second to think. There has to be a way to get you down without hurting you. Just hold on." Soon, he disappeared from her line of sight, and she began to panic again.

She could still hear him, and that's what kept her from going into full blown panic mode. Her paws were sore, and her claws her strained, but she managed to hold onto the roof for what seemed like a lifetime. Finally, she heard Bennett's voice again. "I want you to let go, Minnowpaw."

"Wh-what?" Her voice was filled with utter disbelief. Why would he say that? Why should she let go.

"Just trust me." The tabby came back into view, and his amber eyes were locked on hers. "I promise you won't get hurt. You just have to trust me and let go."

"I don't think I can," she whimpered. "I'm scared."

"Just let go. I'll be there, Minnowpaw. I promise." He gave her a reassuring smile, and before she realized it, Minnowpaw had let go of the roof.

She could feel herself falling, the world coming up to her faster than she could have ever imagined. She screamed, and her paws hit the ground. No, not the ground. It was too soft and crunchy to be the ground. She looked down to see she had landed in a pile of leaves. "Wha-what?"

Bennett soon appeared, and she ran to him, burying her face in her chest without thinking. "You okay?" The concern in his voice was there plain as day, the worry unable to be masked.

"No. I was almost scared out of my pelt! How did you know I would land in those conveniently placed leaves?" Minnowpaw asked him.

"Well, that's what I was doing. I climbed down the roof and found as many leaves as I could. It made a better cushion than I could have ever hoped." He smiled. "I'm glad you're okay. Hopefully I didn't just scar you for life."

"Too late." She felt him purr, which made her remember she had buried herself in his soft fur. "Thanks, Ben. Just... Promise me you won't leave me alone. The city is horrible."

"I promise. We'll be together at all times. I'll talk to Castion about it. I will never ever leave you here alone."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Man, that was long. 3,575 words. Pfft. That was horribly long and actually didn't take forever like I thought it would.<strong>

**Benny/Minnow is just too cute. Thanks for that, Shim. :D**

**Anyways, you may see more Benny/Minnow one-shots in the future. They are just too cute. Too. Cute.**


	33. Look Again

Pawstep after pawstep kept Bennett awake and in tune. For the first time ever, he was lost in the big city. Not only that, but he was with his best friend. She had no clue where they were and neither did he, though he would never tell her that. To make matters worse, it was night. The moon was high, and the streetlights were bright. Everything was unfamiliar.

They had gone out hunting for practice. Minnowpaw showed him many different techniques that she had learned from her family. He found it was easier to hunt the way she taught him, and so they spent the entire day working on it. By the time the sun had set, Bennett had almost mastered the new hunting technique. They had agreed to go out again to practice hunting.

"Benny, are you sure you know where we're going?" It was Minnowpaw, asking for the umpteenth time if he knew where he was going.

"Of course I do," he lied. It slipped out quickly and with ease. It was like he wasn't lying at all. "And you've asked me that a thousand times."

"That's 'cause we should've been home a thousand questions ago. Your aunt is going to go ballistic if we're not home soon. You know how Miss Ali is. Remember last time we were home late? She had Castion send out guards everywhere!"

Of course he remembered. They were told to be back at sunset, but they got distracted by a hunting game. They didn't make it back until the moon was high in the sky. When they got back, they were lectured by Bennett's aunt, informing them that they had just wasted the time of fifteen guards.

_"Fifteen guards, you two. Fifteen! They should be here, not out looking for two troublemakers with no sense of time."_

Her voice rang in his head. It was even later than last time, and he knew they were going to get in so much more trouble than last time. Last time it was no going out the next day. _This time we'll be stuck at home for a week!_

"Don't worry, Min. We'll be home soon," the tabby told her. "We'll be home soon and we are not going to get in trouble again."

Minnowpaw sighed. "It'll be your fault. I told you we should've gone home earlier. At least this time the guards won't be wasting time looking for us. This time we're actually los-"

"We're not lost!" he snapped quickly. He flattened his ears after realizing his tone, and sighed. "We're just... taking a detour?"

"You don't sound so sure, Benny," she said. "I'm getting tired."

"So am I. Don't worry, we'll be home soon," Bennett assured her. "We can rest then."

"Promise?"

"Always do." Bennett turned a corner, and his eyes widened. He smiled. "Min, look! It's the park. See? I told you I know where we're going. Come on!"

"Oh sweet StarClan!" exclaimed Minnowpaw. Before he could ask her what that meant, she took off, throwing a "I'll race you there!" over her shoulder.

The tom took off, his paws flying over the ground as he raced after his silver friend. He was easily able to pass her, and they both collapsed on the grassy ground of the park, laughing.

"Wait... isn't this where we started?" asked the silver she-cat.

Bennett thought for a moment, before shaking his head. "No. Well, kind of. We hunted here earlier, but then we went to the alley to practice on different terrain or something like that. Remember?"

"No, not really." Minnowpaw sighed. "Do you remember how to get home now? Because I really want to go home and go to sleep. Castion is going to make us wake up early, I bet. He'll probably make us patrol with the guards."

"That's if we don't get flayed by Aunt Ali," Bennett told her. "I bet she'll turn us into a fancy blanket."

Minnowpaw snorted. "I'd rather be a curtain. They're so much prettier, and have better use than those awful blankets that we sleep in."

"You won't call them awful during winter when they're the only thing keeping you from freezing your whiskers off," he retorted. "I'd rather be a blanket."

"Curtain!"

"Blanket!"

"Curtain!"

"Blanket!"

"Curtain!"

"Whatever!" Bennett had to finish it. He's known Minnowpaw long enough to know that she'd go on forever just to win an argument. They normally fought over pointless things such as this. Last time it had been over what to eat. Mouse or squirrel. "Let's just agree that we should get home before we get skinned alive by Aunt Ali."

"Deal," purred the young she-cat. "So... You're the expert here. Which way is home?"

Bennett scrambled to his paws, and turned to face Minnowpaw. "Just follow me. We won't get lost this time."

"Oh, so now you admit that we were lost?" She smirked as she got to her paws.

"Well... Okay maybe we were lost for a moment, but I totally knew we were lost and I had the situation under total control!" Bennett winked, which resulted in his silver friend laughing. "Let's go, Min! I definitely know the way home this time."

"This time," echoed Minnowpaw, rolling her blue eyes. "Whatever you say, Benny. If we get lost again, _I'll_ be the one to skin you alive."

"You couldn't touch me if you tried," he argued. "I've trained more than you have. I'm stronger, faster, and better looking."

"What does you looking better than me have to do with anything?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to put that out there." Bennett chuckled, but the smile was soon wiped off his face as Minnowpaw tackled him to the ground. They rolled for a few foxlengths before Minnowpaw had him pinned.

"Who's stronger, faster, and better looking now, Benny?" She smirked at him, and he pushed her away and pinned her down.

"Still me, Minnie," he said with a smirk. He scrambled off of the she-cat and sat down. "Okay, now can we go home?"

"Okay, sure." Minnowpaw got to her paws once more. "I'm still better looking than you."

"Fine, you can be better looking than me. But I get to be the stronger and faster one," Bennett said. "Sound good?"

"Sure, Benny. Now let's go before something else distracts us for another hour." Minnowpaw flicked her tail. "Lead the way. The longer we stand here the more tired I get."

"Okay, okay. Let's go home. Just follow me," he said.

They left the park without another word, making their way through the well lit streets. They walked wordlessly through the city until finally Bennett decided that the silence was too much for him to bare.

"You know, just because we made a deal doesn't make it a fact," he said. It broke the silence easily.

"Hm? What do you mean, Benny?"

"I'm still better looking than you," he purred, turning to wink at Minnowpaw.

"You mousebrain," she spat at him with a smile. "You know I look much better than you. My glorious silver pelt compared to your dull tabby? It's like comparing a... a curtain to a blanket!"

"Not going to let that one go, are you?"

"Never!" she declared.

Bennett rolled his eyes. "And I'm the mousebrain," he muttered, a small smile on his face. "Whatever. If you freeze your tail off come winter, don't come crying to me." He chuckled, and turned to Minnowpaw in order to imitate her better. "Oh Bennett, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you! You are so smart and wonderful and strong and amazing! I'm freezing, oh friend of mine! Please take pity on me!"

"Oh hush you! I-" She stopped suddenly. She had even stopped walking.

"Min, what's up?" Bennett had not stopped, continuing his steps. He turned around at the last second just in time to bump into two large cats. "Uh..."

One tom began to speak, his voice deep and rough. "Well, well, well... What do we have here? A couple of kits running around the street at night? What do you think, Razor?"

The other cat spoke up, his voice just as deep and rugged. "Why I do think you're right, Blade. However... These aren't just any little kits. Look at the tom."

"Is that who I think it is? It's Castion's little runt." Blade chuckled.

As they talked, Bennett had backed up until he was next to Minnowpaw. Both were shaking, fur bristled in fear. _This is all my fault! I got us lost. I led us to these two freaks. I'm going to get us killed!_

"Look brother, he brought his girlfriend," Razor said, amused.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Bennett blurted. "She's just my friend."

"Whatever you say, runt." Blade rolled his eyes. "Now Razor, what do you think Castion would give us for his runt?"

"Quite a bit, I would say. You grab the runt. I'll get his girlfriend." Razor's eyes trailed to Minnowpaw, and Bennett could hear growling.

"Min, run," he whispered. "Get to the theater and get help. You know what they look like. Castion will save me."

"No."

"What? Min, are you crazy?" Bennett's eyes were wild with fear.

"Just trust me. Remember what you told me? You'd never leave me alone. I won't leave you here alone, either. I can handle this. Trust me." Minnowpaw winked at him and stepped forward. This time, she spoke louder. "If you want him, you'll have to get through me."

The two toms glanced at each other before they burst out laughing. "That's funny, kit," Razor said between chuckles. "You think you can take us on?"

"Of course I do. I'll take you both on... Unless, that is, you're scared."

"She thinks we're scared. Don't worry, Blade. I'll take care of her." Razor growled, and charged at Minnowpaw.

Bennett looked away. They were already screwed, and he couldn't bare to see his best friend get shredded. He flattened his ears as he heard the sounds of battle. _Come on, Bennett. You're a tom, not a sniveling kit!_ When he looked back, he saw that Minnowpaw was on Razor's back, claws shredding his back. _Woah wait what?_

Too stunned to move, the young tabby watched as his friend wrestled with the large tom that was over twice her size. Minnowpaw was clawing, scratching, and biting her way through Razor's flesh. _This isn't the same she-cat I met a moon ago. She's not a scared, weak kit. She's strong and brave. Look at her, Bennett! She's taking on a big cat all on her own._

Before he knew it, Minnowpaw had Razor fleeing. Blood was splattered on her sleek pelt. She turned to face Blade, who was confused and_... __Is he scared of her?_

"You better go with your brother, or I'll tear you to shreds, too," she hissed. "Get out of here!"

Blade turned tail and ran, something that surprised Bennett much more than Minnowpaw's fighting skills. "Min, what was that?"

Minnowpaw sat down and began to lick her bloodied paw. In between strokes, she told him everything she'd been hiding. "Listen, Bennett. I haven't been entirely truthful about my past. My family... They're not just my family. They're my Clan. Before I left them, I had been training to be a warrior. I learned to fight using my small size to my advantage, and I learned to hunt using my light weight to my advantage. I'm still an apprentice. I never made it to warrior status, but I kept all my skills, and during the past moon, I snuck out at night to hone what I already knew."

"Wait, what?"

"Long story short: I was trained to be an awesome fighter and epic hunter by my family," she said.

"Oh." That was all Bennett could say. What else was there to say? He sighed. "Will you teach me to fight like that?"

"I don't know, Benny. You _are_ stronger and faster than I am. I'm sure you can handle yourself." Minnowpaw smirked.

The tabby flattened his ears. "Uh, okay, maybe you're stronger and faster. But if that's the case I get to be better looking!"

"Fine. Let's just go home before we get ambushed by the entire city, or worse, Miss Ali." Minnowpaw's tail was thrashing. "Lead the way."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

><p>AN- Okay, maybe Minnow beating up a tom over twice her size and sending another running is a bit overdoing it, but she had Smokestar as a mentor! He's the most badass cat ever! Besides, she has her size advantage. When you're that small, it's easy to slip and slide through those big cats. It's like how you make a serpent tie itself into a knot because you're smaller than it is. It works! (In my mind, at least.)<p>

But yeah. 2,152 words. All in one day, too. Be proud of me, subscribers! BE PROUD! :D


	34. Brief

"Keep it brief, Pheasantflight. Brief is better. Brief is always better. Trust me. Just keep it short, sweet, and to the point, and I'm sure he'll understand." Honeytail, the she-cat's sister, was giving the queen advice. If there was anyone that knew enough to tell Pheasantflight what to do, it would be her half-sister.

"I know that," she spat. "But how am I supposed to tell him? Everything is still so awkward between us, ever since he and Featherstripe got together." She flattened her ears. "Ever since I told him I love him," she added quietly. That day in the forest had turned their friendship upside down, and nothing had ever been the same. He was no longer her best friend Fishface, and it was something she missed with all her heart.

"But that's just it, sis. You don't feel that way. Not about him, not anymore." Honeytail placed a golden tail on her shoulder, and she shrugged it away. "Oh, come on, Phes. You know that you have to do this. You have to. I know you miss him. I know you're happy when you're with him because you are best friends. That's right. Not were. You still are."

Pheasantflight sighed. Of course her sister was right. She was always right, especially when it came to matters such as this. _If only Iceflower was this helpful._ She loved the white she-cat like a sister, but sometimes the queen said the wrong thing at the wrong time. "He did promise me that he'd make time for us to go fishing together."

"Exactly! Since Featherstripe is out of the nursery, he'll have plenty of time to hang with you! You just need to talk to him. Promise me you'll talk to him?" That was the umpteenth time the golden warrior had wanted her to promise. After muttering that she would, Honeytail continued her banter. "Great! Now go talk to him. If you have trouble, maybe you can ask Whitewhisker for some advice."

The golden queen rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to ask Whitewhisker. He's too busy freaking out about being a father." The white tom was stressing now that his mate was pregnant. Iceflower told him constantly not to worry, but he did anyways. He was too loyal for his own good. "Maybe Stonestorm? No, scratch that." She sighed. "I have to do this alone. If I truly believe what I think right now, than this should be easy."

"Yeah, yeah." Honeytail nudged her. "Go find him, and hurry up. Oh, and remember: Keep it-"

"Brief. Uh huh, I know. You've told me so many times already, Honeytail. You're stressing me out." She could see her sister opening her mouth to say something, but Pheasantflight quickly cut in. "Don't even say it. I know what you want to say. I'm not stressing myself out. You are."

"Actually I was going to say that Cedarwhisker is over there." The golden warrior flicked her tail, and Pheasantflight turned to see the russet tom was at the fresh-kill pile. "Hurry up, before Featherstripe catches him."

"Okay, I'm going," she snapped, blinking as she realized how her tone sounded. "Sorry."

"You're forgiven if you hurry up," her sister said quickly.

Pheasantflight smiled, and with a quick nod, she trotted over to the russet tom. "Fishface!" she called, whiskers twitching at the sound of her own voice speaking the nickname.

"Oh, hey." The tom's ear twitched. "You know, one day you're going to do something super embarrassing and I'll finally have a nickname for you that's stupid."

"The nickname isn't stupid and I'm too amazingly awesome to do something stupid," she retorted jokingly. "Like getting slapped in the face by a fish. That would never happen to me."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Pheasantdork- Aha! Pheasantdork is perfect." Cedarwhisker smiled, obviously impressed by his creativity.

"Pheasantdork sounds like a kit's insult. You're better than that, Fishface." She snorted. "But you may just be a Fishkit. Who knows?" The golden she-cat burst out laughing. "So much for being Fishstar, the great and mighty."

"I can still be great and mighty as a kit," the russet tom objected. "Or I can be Fishkit the cute and fluffy. I will conquer all with how adorable I am just to impress she-cats like you."

Pheasantflight rolled her eyes. "So Fishkit the fat and ugly-"

"No, the cute and fluffy," he interrupted.

"Okay, okay. So Fishkit the cute and fluffy, I was actually meaning to talk to you about something. If you're busy, I can wait, but I'd really like to talk about this as soon as you're available." Pheasantflight looked at him expectantly. _I hope he's not busy. I don't think I'll be able to do this later. It has to be done now._

"I'm free, just let me take something to Featherstripe and then we can talk. That okay?"

"That's fine," she said, maybe a little too fast.

Cedarwhisker nodded and stepped away from the golden she-cat. She watched him pick up a bird and disappear from sight. He returned soon, tiny feathers stuck to his face. He didn't seem to notice, because he joined Pheasantflight without cleaning his face. Only after she stared at him with a smirk did he realize what was wrong. His paw flew to his face, rubbing away what was in his fur.

"You done being a bird yet?" The golden she-cat chuckled.

"Not until I fly," he replied with a smirk. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Uh, can we talk somewhere else? This is personal, and I'd rather not be overheard."

"That's fine. Where we heading?" asked the tom.

Pheasantflight smiled. "It's a surprise."

The golden warrior led him out of camp and towards a spot where she knew fish swam often. Where better to take Fishface than a fishing spot? It didn't take long until they arrived, Cedarwhisker gripping the she-cat's tail and shutting his eyes. "Open your eyes, Fishface."

"Oh my StarClan..." The russet tom didn't sound confused or surprised. He sounded more amused. "Don't tell me you dragged me out of camp so you could watch me get attacked by fish?"

"Of course not, though that's a good idea. Maybe next time," she purred. "But seriously, Fishface. This is serious." She took a deep breath before sitting down. _This isn't going to be brief._

"I realize that ever since you and Featherstripe got together, things have been really awkward between us. Don't try to say that's not true, because you know it is. I remember that I told you I love you when my back was healed." Her scars tingled at mention. "However, I feel like my heart was in the wrong place.

"You saved my life. You killed my murderer of a father and saved my life and my sister's. That's something I'll never be able to thank you enough for. When someone saves your life, you're going to feel a lot of things about them. Like Iceflower's did for Whitewhisker, my heart told me I was in love with you. Why wouldn't I be? You're my best friend. You're smart, funny, and good looking. You trained me and hunted with me when I was lonely, and I was always grateful for that. I was young then, though, and my heart was conflicted. To be honest, I don't think I was ever really in love with you.

"Now you're probably wondering why I'm telling you these things? Well, like I said earlier, it's been really awkward between us. I'm sure you think that you broke my heart into pieces, and for the longest time, that's what I thought, too. But during the journey to the mountains I had a lot of time to think, and this is all I could think about. I want us to be best friends again, not the heartbroken she-cat and the tom."

Cedarwhisker looked at her with a surprised expression as she finished, unmoving and almost not breathing, or at least that's what it looked like to Pheasantflight. She flattened her ears and looked away from the tom, embarrassed. After a long silence, she felt something on her shoulder. She looked up, grey eyes clouded, to see that she had placed his tail on her shoulder.

"We were always best friends," he finally told her. "Nothing anyone says will ever change that. I promise."

Pheasantflight managed a smile. "Thanks," she purred. "Can we... Can we just head back to camp now?"

"No." Her heart dropped. "We're going to fish, since you dragged me all the way out here." He smiled slyly, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds like a plan, Fishface," she purred. "Except for one thing."

"And what would that b-" His words were cut short as she pushed him into the water. His russet fur was soaking wet when he crawled out. "Little kit I will squash you like a bug."

"You can try if you catch me!" The golden she-cat called out as she dashed away. The last thing she remembered that day was the sound of laughter ringing through the clearing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1,595 words. How lovely. I had some trouble wrapping this up (and writing it in general). I had so many ideas for this, and originally I was going to continue the MinnieBenny thing, but then I couldn't get past a few hundred words. Oh well. This is fine.**


	35. Space

The sun was set and the moon had risen far above the mountain peaks, shining down on the camp sleeping silently below. The stars were lit up brightly by unknown forces, though many believed them to be deceased ancestors in the sky, watching each and every living being as they went on the journey called life, a journey they themselves had gone through, whether alone or with others. The air was cool and no wind disturbed it. Even the bugs of the night were silent. The world was at peace at that exact moment, even if one cat was not.

Sitting alone in the middle of the rocky camp, a golden she-cat sighed, her belly round and plump. She was to give birth to kits soon, her first ever. The nursery behind her seemed distant, same as the cats she had left inside. Three other she-cats slept inside, each more different than the last. Her best friend, her worst enemy, and the Clan's deputy were all inside. Only one kit resided in there, the deputy's young grey son. Though there were many rumors as to who the father was, only three cats knew who it was. The golden queen was one of those cats.

It had been a normal day, the day she was told. It seemed that the tom trusted her with his secrets. She was his confidante, in a sense. He told her when they were alone, the deed he had done something he could not keep secret from her. So he told her that the deputy was pregnant with his child, that the leader of SmokeClan had given new life to his Clan. It had come as a shock to the golden she-cat, which was to be expected. She knew her leader already had two children, as did the deputy.

Now, she was pregnant with the leader's kits while the deputy cared for the leader's other kit. This was why she had come outside. The sight of the young tom-kit made her feel sick, and any mention of the deputy made her furious. Though the deputy and leader fling was before she had become the mate of the latter, she still did not like the idea. At times she wished that he had not told her his secret or that the deputy miscarried. It wasn't something she liked to think about, but she did.

The stars twinkled, and Pheasantflight sighed. Without a small breeze to ruffle her fur, it was harder to think. The past few moons had been hectic, and she was so tired. She didn't want to spend each and every night outside, but she did. It calmed her, though the calmness gave into thoughts. Possibilities. _What if's._ Another sigh, another sudden surge of memories.

Her grey eyes were soon on the stars above. She was always told that those were her ancestors, deceased family that she missed with all her heart. Though nowadays, like her mate, she doubted StarClan. What good was a bunch of dead cats in space if they couldn't help her live a better life? What good were they if they only visited cats that are special? Each cat was special, right? Then why didn't she ever see her mother when she closed her eyes at night? Why didn't she feel the warmth of curling up with her sister at night when she was cold? Why couldn't she hunt again with her mentor?

_Why couldn't you be there for me?! _she screamed in her head, angry at the stars shining. _You left me here all alone! You left your daughters, mom. You left us and you took Spiderkit with you! You're no better, Badge. You left your kits here for Smokestar and I to take care of. He's been so busy juggling everything. _She swallowed a sob. _Why couldn't you have just stayed? You left for space paradise while we suffered. If we hadn't let, we all would have died. You didn't even tell us what would happen. _She flattened her ears and looked at the ground. _Now you're dead, and I may never see you again._

_Why weren't you there for us? Smokestar was right, that day he told me about you abandoning us. He was right. You're nothing but starry bastards that watch us like a bunch of prey. You don't help us. You never did. _Pheasantflight hissed quietly, tail thrashing. She always felt better after a good ranting. StarClan deserved her anger, after all. They couldn't just let her keep her sister. They couldn't just let Mousepaw and Minnowpaw have parents. _Bastards._

She sighed, eyes trailing towards the leader's den. Obviously, her rant wasn't finished. _You're not that kind of tom. You don't just knock up a she-cat and leave her to raise the kit alone. I bet you asked her to be your mate before you asked me. I bet you don't even love me. I bet I just remind you of Shimmertail. She's your deputy, of course you'd be more attracted to her. I don't even know why you told me you love me. It must be a lie if you're going to have kits with every she-cat that turns your way. Who's next? Morninglight? I bet she is. I'm not your golden girl. I never was._

Her eyes trailed to the warriors' den next. She missed sleeping in there next to two of her best friends. Her golden fur contrasted with their white fur, and it looked nice, kind of like the sun on water. Yet, she knew who was in there. _Fishface, the stupid bastard. Why couldn't you just love me? Then none of this would have happened. Ashfall wouldn't have left the Clan. Spiderpaw would have never started fights. I would have never been heartbroken. Then Smokestar would be happy with Shimmertail and I wouldn't be raging in the middle of camp like a crazy cat... Like my father. I hate you, Fishface. You're a bastard and I never want to see your face. I will tear you to shreds if I see you in that nursery._

The scars on her back tingled, and she got to her paws. Her eyes reset to the sky, and she growled. Pheasantflight's tail was thrashing again. The stars shined in space while she was stuck here on the ground. _You bastards don't deserve to be happy._ In space, they were secluded from life. They didn't have to worry about famines or enemies. They don't have to worry about heartbreak. _Bastards..._

She turned on her paws fast, and stomped into the nursery. She didn't care about waking up Shimmertail and her bastard kit as she whizzed by and curled into her nest. She buried her face into her paws, making sure her tail was covering her eyes. Now she didn't have to see the deputy and the young kit. She could still see Iceflower, barely. Her best friend was fast asleep, belly plump and round like her own. Raindapple was out of sight, most likely stuck in the back of the den.

As she fell asleep, she kept repeating the same things in her head. _I hate Smokestar. I hate Shimmertail. I hate StarClan. I hate Fishface. I hate my family. I hate Smokestar. I hate Shimmertail. I hate StarClan. I hate Fishface. I hate my family. I hate..._

That morning she woke up, all traces of the previous night's ranting gone. Light poured into the nursery, and she could hear birds chirping in the distance. Chattering from her clanmates could also be heard, and she gave a small smile. When she lifted her head, she discovered that Shimmertail had disappeared, as did her kit. Whitewhisker had taken her place in the den, chatting merrily with Iceflower. Raindapple was still asleep way in the back. Pheasantflight managed a small smile until suddenly the sunlight from outside was blocked.

She turned to see her russet friend standing there, mouse clenched in his jaws, and she smiled. "Hi, Fishface," she purred.

"Smokestar asked me to bring you this. He promised to take Minnowpaw and Mousepaw hunting, so he couldn't bring it himself, but he wanted to make sure I told you that he caught this just for you earlier this morning," he mumbled through the fresh-kill clamped in his jaw. Cedarwhisker set it down in front of her. "Have a nice meal."

"Thanks," she told him before he left. Pheasantflight stared at the mouse for a few moments before tucking it into her nest. She wasn't hungry, but it would make a great meal later. _It's good to know he thinks of me so early in the morning. Thank StarClan it's such a nice day._

_And I wouldn't have it any other way._

* * *

><p><strong>AN- 1,511 words, unfortunately. Then again, I wrote this at 1am and it took less than an hour.<br>**

**This is pretty much Phes ranting about crap that's happened to her. She never really did that in the past because she's too sunshine and flowers for that. But since she's pregnant, hormones kicked in and she went full-on bitch mode. She doesn't really hate anyone, including StarClan. In fact, she loves everyone (but Shimmertail) very dearly.**


	36. Special

The morning sun peeked out from its starry bed, creating a shadowy silhouette on the pelts of a few warriors, as the apprentices were still sound asleep. They all gathered around one cat in particular, eyes expecting as she opened her mouth to speak.

"M'kay, guys. Ya'll know what today is, and we need to be as quiet and as fast as possible in order to make this the best day ever for her. Today is her sixteenth birthday, so this needs to be as special as possib-"

"Wait, why are you in charge of this? And how is she sixteen? We're cats. We can't be sixteen," argued a golden tabby. "This is impossible. I would know."

"Well, I'm in charge because this is my story," the black she-cat hissed. "Yah don't get to write everything here."

"Shadowheart," a voice piped. The medicine cat was thrashing his tail, though he looked slightly amused. "Furth wall."

Both the golden tabby and Shadowheart snorted, a smile coming to both of their faces. "Heh, furth wall."

A russet she-cat rolled her eyes. "Guys, seriously. This is important. We all know this is important. So stop questioning her, Honeysong."

The she-cat pouted, but soon she flattened her ears. "Okay, fine. But only for you."

"Thank you. Please continue, deary."

"Thanks, Otterstar. As I was sayin', this needs to be special. When a girl turns sixteen, it's the biggest step in her life. She's gonna be a woman, or at least that's how it works in this stor-"

"Furth wall," the medicine cat said again.

"Oops, sorry, Cloudstorm." Shadowstorm clapped her paws together. "Okay, so who's in charge of food? That includes fresh-kill and the cake."

"That would be me," Otterstar said, her russet pelt rippling as she got to her feet.

"Okay, awesome. Who has decorations?"

"That would be the apprentices and myself," Honeysong informed her.

"And entertainment?"

"That would be myself," Cloudstorm meowed. "With help from you, of course."

"Purrfect," she purred, getting a snort out of Prin- Er, uh, Honeysong. "We have until Mousestep wakes up, which knowing her, means that we have all day. So get a move on-"

"Wait!" interrupted Honeysong. "You aren't even halfway through the one-shot yet. This is bad writing, very bad. There needs to be more description and maybe some more stuff on Mousestep. This is bad, very bad."

"Furth wall," Cloudstorm hissed, which went ignored by the she-cats. Wow, could girls talk.

"I'll go back and edit later. I promise. I want to get a skeleton goin' first without scarring my characters forever." She frowned. "Mousepaw didn't deserve it," she added quietly.

"Furth wall," the medicine cat hissed again, this time louder. Being the only male, he once again went unheard.

"I know you, Shadowheart. You aren't going to remember to edit later."

"It's already been stated in the story multiple times! Of course I'm goin' to remember. I can do it right now if that will please yah."

"It won't," the golden tabby stated.

"It should."

"But it won't. You have to do it later, when you've gotten all the general stuff down."

Shadowheart rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. Just remind me later."

"I can do that," Otterstar meowed quietly.

"Thanks," the black she-cat purred before glancing towards the sky. "We should get a move on. I mean, Mousestep won't be up for quite some time, but that doesn't mean we get to laze around. Go, go, go, and make sure ya'll are quiet about it. Also make sure not to break the furth wall. I think Cloudstorm has had enough of it."

The tom nodded sharply, smiling as he was finally acknowledged. "Come on, then. Let's take care of entertainment, Shadowheart."

"Just a sec." The she-cat turned to the cats, who still had not left to do their jobs. Wow, what lazy cats. "Remember, ya'll, that today is about Mousestep, not about partying. This is for her because we love her like she's our sister. Remember that she's not only the deputy, but a great friend. Do your best for her."

The group of cats nodded. "Got it," they piped up in unison, which made them all laugh.

Shadowheart purred. "Good, good. TacoClan, roll out!" The she-cat skipped away, leaving Cloudstorm to chase after her.

After a lot of unnecessary walking, Shadowheart skidded to a stop. "So, any ideas for entertainment?" she asked the medicine cat.

"Well, I snatched her iPod, so if I can figure out this password, we'll be set on music," the tom said, reaching from a pocket in his pelt and taking out a small squared device. "See?"

"Purrfect. Good job, Cloudy. Let me see it. I bet I can crack the code." Cloudstorm tossed the iPod, and by some miracle, Shadowheart caught it. She smiled before pressing four numbers. '0 0 0 0'. The iPod clicked before unlocking. The she-cat rolled her eyes. "Figures."

"Wow, how predictable. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're a medicine cat," she stated matter-of-factly. "And I'm a teenager."

"But so am I-"

"Furth wall," she hissed playfully, tossing the iPod back to him.

"Okay, so that's music. Anything else?" he asked.

"Well, let's think." And think they did. For the next few hours they discussed entertainment, setting up playlists in Mousestep's iPod and complaining about the fourth- excuse me- _furth_ wall.

When they arrived back at TacoClan's camp, it looked like a party god had graced it. There was a big banner that said 'Happy birthday' hung up above the warriors' den. Streamers and balloons were everywhere. How cats managed to hang all that up was a mystery, but they did it. There was also a table set up, where the cake and a big pile of presents resided. It was just how Shadowheart had imagined it. Now all they had to do was wait for Mous-

"Surprise!" the cats suddenly yelled as the deputy emerged sleepily from the warriors' den. Mousestep's fur was bristling and her eyes were wild. That was one heck of a surprise, that's for sure.

The brown tabby's eyes were locked on the group of smiling cats. She was silent for too many heartbeats. "Wha? It's not my birthday."

"What?!" Shadowheart screeched.

"Haha, just kidding." Mousestep smiled. "Thanks, guys, but you didn't have to."

"Of course we had to. You're special to us, and this is the most important birthday of your life." She added quietly, "Or at least that's what society wants us to think." The black she-cat smiled. "You're a great friend and amazing perso- cat, and we definitely had to do this for you because we love you."

The deputy purred. "Love you, too, but seriously, you didn't have to. My birthday was a couple of weeks ago."

"Of course we- Wait, what?" Shadowheart blinked a couple more times than she should have. "_Last week?_"

"Yeah, last week…"

"FFFFFF-"

**ATTENTION. THIS PORTION OF THE ONE-SHOT HAS BEEN CENSORED TO PROTECT YOUR INNOCENT MINDS. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT SHADOWHEART HAD THE WORST BREAKDOWN OF HER LIFE. NOW PLEASE, CONTINUE THE STORY WITHOUT WONDERING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.**

"Anyways, happy berated birthday!" Shadowheart smiled. Her eye was twitching, and her whiskers were drooping. Her ear twitched as she heard a cough, and she turned around and faced the cats behind her. "What?"

"It's belated, darling," Otterstar told her.

"Oh…" Shadowheart collapsed on the ground. "Ugh, I give up. Just go open your presents and eat your cake so I can go to sleep and post this one-shot. _And I swear to StarClan, Cloudstorm, if you tell me that I've broken the furth wall one more time, I'm gonna snap._"

"You mean you haven't already?" piped up Honeysong.

"Shush, you." Shadowheart looked over to the birthday girl again. "Go do whatever. It's your party."

"Uh, okay… Thanks?" Mousestep padded towards the table and pawed through it. Eventually, she settled on grabbing the cake and tearing off a piece. She tossed a piece at Honeysong, and it hit her straight in the face.

The golden she-cat yelped, which was weird since cats don't yelp? Or maybe they do. The author isn't very sure. "Wasteful," she said, pouting. "Wasteful, wasteful, wasteful."

Shadowheart smiled and got back to her paws. She ran over and tackled Mousestep, who yowled and laughed as they tumbled into the table. Presents fell onto them, and they laughed harder. "Smooth, Shadow."

"I know I am," the black cat purred. "I'm so amazing."

The deputy smiled. "Go to sleep, dearie. I'll wake you up when we decide to eat cake or something."

"Okay, thank you." Shadowheart stumbled away, ears twitching as she heard the sound of laughter behind her. She dropped into her nest in the warriors' den and passed out.

"Shadowheart? Shadowheart, wake up. Wake up… Wake up!"

She blinked her eyes open and yawned. Looking around, she realized that she couldn't see. After looking more carefully, she realized that there were cats blocking the entrance. "Brightpaw?"

"Finally! We've been trying to wake you up since forever! You sure are a heavy sleeper. You missed the cake." The small she-cat smiled. "We saved you some, though."

"Uff, I missed the cake? Damnit!" Shadowheart leaped to her paws and pushed past the apprentices to see a whole cake (minus the chunk Mousestep had thrown earlier). She turned around and hissed playfully at the apprentices before skipping over to where the warriors were gathered.

"Though today is not technically my birthday, this is the best birthday I've ever had. It's all thanks to Shadowheart. Without her, none of this would have been possible. I love all of you."

"Ohpah!" Shadowheart screeched.

Mouseheart rolled her eyes. "Ohpah indeed."

**AN- Happy belated birthday, Shimmertail!**

**I wanted to finish this on your birthday but I ended up not and I'm sorry love. :c**


	37. Jinx

"I'm gonna fail, I'm gonna fail, I'm gonna fail."

You're pacing back and forth. You've been doing that for quite some time. You're nervous. You are very nervous. Today is your assessment. If you pass, you become a warrior. If you fail...

You stop your thoughts. You'd rather not be an apprentice for another moon. This will be your fourth time taking this test. Your littermates have been warriors for a few moons now, and you're still Lil' Brownpaw.

You sigh. Ever since you were a kit, your brothers called you Lil' Brown. You were the oddball, after all. Still are. You were born the bright brown of your mother. Your brothers are the deep grey of your father. You wish that you could turn grey, but that'll never happen.

"Lil' Brown!"

You look up to see your brothers heading towards you. You think that they're going to make fun of you again.

"Hey, good luck on your assessment," says Stormclaw with a smirk.

"Yeah, good luck, little sister," Greyheart pipes up.

"Whatever," you mumble. "I'm the same age as you," you add before your brothers can say anything.

"Of course you are," Stormclaw says. "But until you're a warrior, you get to be the little sister.

You roll your eyes.

"But that won't be for another fifty moons, will it? What with you jinxing yourself all the time."

"Jinxing?" It's a stupid question for a stupid word. You doubt it's even a real word. They're just making fun of you, but you're much too curious to let this pass over.

"Yeah, it's a curse. It gives you bad luck," Greyheart says.

You nod. You don't want to believe it, but it makes sense. You're a great hunter, but during the assessments you always miss the prey or there is no prey. "How do I break a jinx?"

"You can't." Stormclaw purrs. "You'll just be an apprentice until you die."

Until you die... Until you die... _Until I die..._ You shake your head. You can't let that happen. Maybe if you just talk to Cloudstar, she'll understand. You hope so. You start heading towards the leader's den, but Greyheart stops you.

"You can't tell anyone about the jinx, or they'll die," he says.

You widen your eyes. "But-"

"That's not entirely true," interrupts Stormclaw. "Family can know because there's a blood bond. That's just how it works."

"But-"

"Hey, you two!" a voice calls out. A sudden black blur appears, sending dust and dirt flying. You cough loudly, and once the dusty cloud disappears, you see Darkflame. She's smiling at your brothers, more specifically Stormclaw. "Stop harassing your sister, guys. Otterpelt says we're going on a hunting patrol." She sends a glance towards you and smirks, as if she is your savior from StarClan.

"We're just giving Lil' Brown some moral support. She has an assessment today." Stormclaw swipes a paw over your ear and you hiss loudly. "Calm down, 'paw," she says with a chuckle. "With a hiss like that they'll make your warrior name Brownsnake." He laughs loudly.

You're just about to tackle him to the ground when Darkflame clears her throat. "As much as I'd love to see Stormclaw get the snot beat out of him, we should really be going. Otterpelt is waiting."

"Wait, he's coming with us?" Greyheart sounds disappointed, almost scared. He doesn't wait for an answer. "Let's go!"

The three warriors dash away, sending dirt flying into your face. You sneeze and then groan, realizing that your coat is covered in dust. You shake your pelt clean. You watch the warriors leave with Otterpelt, Darkflame and Stormclaw sending echoes of laughter your way. When they're tails disappear, you start heading towards Cloudstar's den. You plan on telling her all about your brothers' stupid prank.

You stop right outside the den, peeking inside. "Cloudstar?"

Your fur bristles as a sudden shriek pierces the air. Your about to run when a shaggy white ball of fur rolls out from the den. When you realized what just happened, you roll your eyes. "Real mature."

Cloudstar unrolls from her tight ball and giggles madly. "You're so gullible! It's quite cute, actually, in that you-look-like-a-kit sort of way."

"Uh huh... Anyways, I'm here on a serious matter."

"Oh boo. That's no fun at all." She's pouting, and you roll your eyes. The leader sees, of course, and tries to act offended. "Just because I'm a leader doesn't mean I have to be serious about everything!"

"I'll never understand why Fernstar chose you as a deputy," you mutter. "Anyways, I'm being super ultra mega serious at this moment of time, so just listen!"

"'Kay, I'm listening." Cloudstar sits, ears perked.

You take a deep breath, and suddenly the words start pouring out. "Okay, well Stormclaw and Greyheart told me about this thing that gives me bad luck or whatever but I don't believe them but they kept trying to convince me because I've failed my assessment so many times even though I'm totally a great hunter and a decent fighter but I always fail so they told me that I was cursed and they don't know why or how and I don't want to believe them but it explains a lot and you have got to help either convince me that's it's not real or that it is real and that you can break it you have to help me Cloudstar I want to be a warrior so badly please help and we can break this thing together if it's real and if it isn't then you can help me with my assessment and-"

"Woah, slow down tiger." In the midst of your jumbled mess of words, Cloudstar's fur became frazzled and her eyes were wide. "Now, tell me about this curse thing."

"Okay, well, it gives me bad luck, and supposedly you can only tell someone of your blood but you're practically my sister and you're my leader so I wanted to tell you. It's called... Oh foxdung what is it called? Jim... Gin... Jean... Uh... Jinx! It's called a jinx!" You smile because you're proud that you remembered, but your smile fades when you see Cloudstar's face. Her eyes are wide. You can tell she's scared. "Cloudstar, you okay?"

"NO!" she screeches. She jumps to her paws. She's shaking and her fur is standing, making her look twice her size. "You can't tell others about jinxes, you idiot!"

"Wait, they're real?" You shake your head in disbelief, but the she-cat is still shaking, so you can tell she's not joking.

"As real as you and me," she hisses. "They told you what happens when you tell someone about a jinx, right?"

"You mean my brothers? Yeah, they told me that whoever I tell will d-" You stop abruptly. "Oh my StarClan _no_." You are an idiot. The biggest idiot! Cloudstar is going to die and it's all your fault. You want to do something, _anything_, to save her. "I'm so sorry, Cloudstar. I thought it was just a joke."

"No, it's not a joke, and I am now screwed." Cloudstar sighs. "I would tell the Clan, but I don't want to risk the Clan's death. Otterpelt is a good warrior, and he'll make an even better leader."

"Don't say that," you beg. "Don't say that. I'll fix this, I promise. I'll figure out how to break the jinx and you'll live and I'll live and-"

"Cloudstar!" Stormclaw burst in suddenly. "Otterpelt is d-dead!"

Your eyes widen. "Did you tell him about the thing?"

"No, of course not! Greyheart did," he says and you sigh.

"Does Darkflame know about the jinx?" you ask. Your brother looks shocked that you even mentioned the jinx. Or maybe he's dumbfounded at the idea that Darkflame would ever know about the jinx and then die. You can't tell. He shakes his head and with sigh with relief. "We need to figure out how to break this thing and fast."

Stormclaw looks at Cloudstar. "Does she-?"

"Yes," you say quickly. "That's why we need to break the jinx. We need to think and plan and Cloudstar needs to choose a new deputy."

The white leader nods and exits the den. You can hear her call to the Clan, her voice echoing loudly in the den. Your brother leads you outside and you gather around Otterpelt's body. You guess that Greyheart and Darkflame brought him back themselves. "As most of you may know, Otterpelt is dead. He was an amazing deputy, and I mourn his loss. However, a new deputy must be picked, as is tradition." Her eyes scan the crowd, stopping on you. If you were a warrior, you would have become warrior at that instant. You can tell. "The new deputy is Stormclaw."

Your brother stiffens next to you, most likely from shock. Even you are shocked. You're brother is deputy now! You're happy for him, but you can't believe that Cloudstar would choose him. You mentally argue with yourself, trying to decide if Stormclaw would make a good leader in the future or not. So lost in your thoughts, you completely miss your brother leaving your side and becoming the new deputy. You cheer for him, the first to make a sound. You try to smile, but your thoughts are soon lost again.

You aren't sure how to break the jinx. Cloudstar doesn't know and your brothers don't know. You're stressing out, but soon you are pulled out of your thoughts. Cloudstar and Stormclaw are looking at you intently. "Brownpaw, did you hear us?"

"Huh?"

"Time for your assessment," Stormclaw says matter-of-factly.

"Oh." At this point, you aren't stressed about the test. Compared to the jinx, it's like the test is nothing. You're still thinking about how to break the jinx and save Cloudstar's life. You let the two cats lead you out of camp and to a clearing. It's time for your hunting test. Usually, you'd be freaking out, but you're so lost in your thoughts that you don't even think about it when you miss a squirrel and then a mouse, then a thrush, then another squirrel. It doesn't matter to you at this point. It's nothing.

You wander away, hoping that you can make up for your losses by fishing. The river is rushing loud, and the clear, sparkling water clears your head. You peek inside, and suddenly a thought comes to you. You know how to break the jinx. Without a second thought, you crouch. You hear a loud scream, but you aren't sure if it's from you or not. Maybe it's you, because you jumped into the river. Maybe it's you, because your lungs are screaming for air. Maybe it's you, because you are sinking fast. Maybe it's you, because your vision has turned black. Maybe it's not you, cause your vision is red and white.

_You're awake immediately. You broke the jinx and you smile with glee. You look around eagerly for Cloudstar, ready to tell her that she will live and that you are ready to be a warrior, but she's not there. You look for Stormclaw, but he's not there either. You frown. Maybe they abandoned you because they know that you never pass your assessment. You shrug and begin to wander around._

_The scenery is more beautiful than usual. The sun seems brighter, the birdsong seems sweeter, and the grass seems greener. It's amazing, but you wonder why it looks that way._

_You're still walking when you hit your head on something soft yet firm. You look up to see a large brown figure. You are in awe, even when you realize who it is. "Dad?" As soon as you utter that one word, you know you died. You know that you drowned yourself to save Cloudstar. You just hope that the leader is still okay._

_"You are wanted," he says, leading you towards a bright meadow. There are other cats. You recognize Otterpelt and Ferstar immediately. You are about to greet them when a voice calls your name._

_"Cloudstar?" You see the white cat running towards you with a pleased look on her face. You frown. "I- but I... But... _No._" You thought you saved her. A scream pierces the air and you realize that you weren't the one who yelled, it was her. "I'm so sorry. I thought I saved you but I didn't and I'm so sorry, so very very sorry, and-"_

_"It's okay, dearie. Just a part of life and what-not." Cloudstar smiles. "Now come on, we're expecting someone. Get into formation!"_

_Cloudstar leads you to the group of cats, your father right behind you, and fits you into a circle around a patch of flowers. "Now we wait. You're first."_

_"For what?" you ask, but you already know. Everything enters your mind at once, and suddenly a bright light appears. You don't flinch. You wait calmly for the light to disappear. You smile when you see your brother. You don't listen to the introductions that Skystar makes, but when he steps back, you step forward immediately._

_"Lil' Brown..." Stormclaw looks surprised to see you. They must not have found your body. "I didn't know..."_

_You smile. "Dear brother, with this life I give you love. Use it to keep your Clan together as a family with love forever."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I haven't written in forever oops.<strong>

**but omFG THIS ONE-SHOT IS OVER 2K WORDS ASUIDGHAUsfhGHSDhsrtg23hgwrtje5GREG5**


	38. Stop Fussing

Basil ran as fast as he could away from his family. He couldn't stand Pepper sometimes! _She acts like she knows everything! And she's so mean. It's not my fault I can't talk right. I would fix it if I could._ He kept running until he slammed face-first into what he assumed to be a bush. He fell with a hiss and moved to claw at the bush when suddenly-

"Watch where you're going, mousebrain!"

The ginger tom stopped moving, surprised that a bush can talk. No wait, it's a cat. His head snapped up. "Uh." He wanted to avoid talking as much as possible. Basil didn't want to scare this cat away.

"Well, aren't you going to apologize?" demanded the cat. He looked up to see it was a she-cat, and a pretty one at that. Golden and white fur with shining green eyes. He was at a loss for words, not like he had many to begin with. "Well?"

"Th-th-th-" It was useless to him. It only came out as stutters. He couldn't even begin the word properly. Basil sighed and ducked his head, content to stare at his paws and let the she-cat lash out.

After many moments of silence, the golden she-cat spoke. "Is there something wrong with you?" It was a simple question, one that made the ginger tom flush under his fur with embarrassment. Of course there was something wrong with him. There was always something wrong with him. "If you're not gonna talk to me, that's fine, but the very least you could do is acknowledge me. You did run into me, after all."

Basil sighed in defeat. He knew she was right and he knew he should apologize, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He was just so embarrassed. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the pretty she-cat and frowned, hoping the apology would get through.

"I don't get why you won't talk to me," she said. "You're not mute, I heard you about to apologize. I heard it." Her green eyes were burning holes in his fur. "I wasn't going to talk to you, but now you're making me curious. Tell me your name."

The tom shook his head. _I can't. I can't do it. I can't even say my name. How am I supposed to tell you it? I won't. I couldn't. I'm incapable._

"You are so infuriating!" she hissed. "Won't apologize for almost killing me, won't answer my questions, won't tell me your name. Well fine, if that's how you're gonna be then I'm just going to leave!" The golden she-cat turned tail and walked away from him, grumbling under her breath. He did catch a few words as she left, including "got dirt all over me" and "doesn't even apologize how rude".

He flattened his ears and followed the she-cat, determined to make sure she knew he was sorry. If she knew he was following her, she didn't show it. Basil coughed a couple of times and thrashed his tail back and forth. This she-cat had the nerve to call him infuriating, but what about her? She was just as bad as Pepper, if not worse. It was obvious he didn't want to speak but he was sorry. That should've been easy to figure out.

Suddenly bursting with anger, he plopped himself onto the ground and buried his face into his paws. _Stupid she-cats. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Pepper is stupid. This one is stupid, too. Not as bad as Pepper, though, but maybe because Pepper is my sister. Stupid._ He rolled over onto his back and almost jumped out of his fur when he saw a shadow looming over him. Basil covered his face with his paws.

"You're pretty pathetic, you know that? Following a she-cat and then not even bothering to try to apologize. Why I stopped to give you a chance I'll never know. So, what do you want?"

The ginger tom uncovered his face and sighed with relief. It was just the she-cat. She still sounded angry, but at least it wasn't a murderous rogue._ Then again, she might just be one._ Still, he flashed her a small smile.

"I don't have to deal with this, you know. I could be at home, grooming all this dirt out of my fur. I'm a mess and it's your fault. I hope you know that." The golden cat sat down. "So, are you going to talk to me now?"

Sitting up, Basil pinned his ears back and turned away. He still couldn't do it.

"You're pretty stubborn, but I have means of making you talk," she growled. Lifting a paw, she unsheathed her claws and brought them to his throat. "Talk."

He swallowed a lump in his throat and slowly shook his head. He shut his eyes and waited for the strike, but it never came. When he opened his eyes, the she-cat was walking away again.

"Fine, you called my bluff. I'm done with you. Goodbye, you piece of fox dung."

_Fox dung? How dare she? She has the nerve to call me rude, yet she calls me fox dung._ He hissed in frustration and turned to go home, but he wasn't exactly sure which way home was. He hadn't done much exploring at Griffin Hill, so he had no clue where he was. With another frustrated hiss, he turned back to chase after the golden she-cat. If he couldn't go home, he could at least go with someone.

"Stop following me," the she-cat said as soon as he had caught up. "I don't want to bring you home. I don't even like you. Go away." Silence. "Seriously, go away. I'm not going to tell you again. Jerk."

Basil flattened his ears and rested his tail on her shoulder. He turned away from her so he didn't have to see her reaction, but he didn't need to. She stopped, and he tripped over a rock. How graceful of him. The ginger tom fell flat on his face and groaned. _Stupid rocks, stupid she-cat, stupid everything, stupi-_

His very angry and not-at-all repetitive thoughts were interrupted by laughter. It was easy to figure out that it was the golden she-cat who has laughing. Flushing with embarrassment, he quickly jumped to his paws. He almost hissed in annoyance, but the laughing cat made him even more embarrassed. He ducked his head away.

It wasn't until the laughter had died down that the she-cat spoke, "You're just a big klutz, huh? That explains why you so rudely ran into me earlier. I guess I can forgive you, that fall was pretty funny." Suddenly, she growled. "The very least you could do is look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you!"

Basil gulped and looked up. The golden she-cat's fur was bristling and he could clearly see the annoyance in her eyes. _Fussy, fussy._ His flicked his tail and got to his paws. _I want to go home, not deal with her. Following her was a terrible idea. I'll just get lost on my way home instead. I'm sure I can find the den eventually. _With that thought in mind, he turned and walked away. _Stupid she-cat. Stupid golden fur. Stupid green eyes. Stupid whatever her name is. Stupid everything._ He completely forgot about Pepper and how much she annoyed him.

After a while, he gave up. The ginger tom had no clue where he was going. Griffin Hill was much too big for him to navigate. Basil looked around, but he couldn't recognize anything. Not even the barn that was conveniently just in sight. _Oh wait, what's that? It looks like I could stay there until I figure out where I'm going. That wouldn't be too bad, maybe. At least I'll be away from that stupid she-cat. _He dashed towards the barn and snuck inside. He didn't see any cats, but just to be safe, he went to the corner and hid.

He curled up, not sure what else to do. Maybe he could just stay here and sleep. He could live here forever and never have to deal with anyone ever again. He would never have to talk and embarrass himself. He would never have to see that stupid she-cat again, either. He knew how to hunt, and that was really all he needed.

Thunder shook the barn, making it creak loudly. He didn't even notice the weather change; he was too busy with the she-cat and trying to figure out how to get home. _How am I going to get home? I can't exactly ask someone for directions. I'm basically fu- _Thunder boomed, causing Basil to be thrown out of his thoughts. His fur was bristling and his eyes were wide. It wasn't a sound he enjoyed. _It's a good thing I found this place, whatever it is. It makes good shelter for when it starts pouring. _As if on cue, rain started pounding the barn roof. He flattened his ears and buried his head into his paws. He shut his eyes and listened to the rain pour. Maybe tomorrow he would find his way home.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- It's so short, but knowing me this is gonna end up being several parts. TacoClan may be dead, but my brain isn't. Let it churn out all the BS it wants. Poor Basil, he's probably the most useless cat ever. He can't talk right, he can't find his way home, he can't be the gentleman to this find she-cat. What a shame.<strong>


	39. Cozy

They were cozy the first night they shared his den. He was curled around her, protecting her from her cold mountain wind that blew in. She purred contently, her tail wrapped around his. Though they were not always so affectionate in public, when they were alone there was nothing but them. He loved her and always would. She loved him so much she never thought of anyone else.

They were cozy the night after the royal family attacked. It wasn't a massacre, but many faced injuries, both of them included. Riddled with scratches and torn fur, he watched over her. He did not sleep that night, instead content to clean her wounds and protect from any other danger the mountain had to offer. The royal family, _her_ family, was the greatest threat to them, but they did not know that yet. All they knew was that they needed and loved each other. They did not always share his den, but then they did it was the warmest night they ever had each time.

They were cozy when the kits got sick. They weren't their kits, but they were. He took them in as his own when her sister died. They became parents for them, and when they got sick, both were devastated. Him because he promised to protect them, one with the big, baby blue eyes and the other with eyes like the sun. Her because they were the last of her family and she couldn't bear to lose them. It wasn't a bad sick when it happened. They both just had a cough, nothing more. But they were given herbs and ordered to bed, so they let them share the den that night. He didn't curl around her as he usually did. He was careful to curl around all three of them to where he could watch the den entrance and his family. They were too important to him.

They were cozy when she found out. It had devastated her to no end. They had not been together when it happened, but it still hurt her when he told her. He had kits with his deputy, she would say. He practically betrayed her, she would say. She never really believed that, though, so the nights she shared his den were the same as any other night. He curled around her and she purred contently. It was pure happiness, she would say. Sometimes to herself, sometimes to her best friend. Either way, she was happy.

They were cozy when she moved to the nursery. It had come as a surprise to both of them, but they felt that it was coming. Somehow they knew. She would say it was a gift from StarClan, but not often. She knew he did not feel the same. He would say it was a gift to the Clan, just like all kits, but then he would say that their kits will be the most special of them all because they will be theirs. When she moved to the nursery, he came to visit so often he was barely around the Clan. He hardly left her side, just to make sure she was okay.

They were cozy when the kits were born. There were three of them. One looked like her, one looked like him, and one looked that the beautiful mix between the two. Two boys and a girl, respectively. He stayed with her even more often than before. They were his everything, her and the kits. They were her everything, him and the kits. Each day with them made them happier. He began to smile more often, something he did not do often. Some would say that she was the sunshine in his life, the one thing that could make him happy. Most know that was true.

They were cozy when their kit was kidnapped. Their golden son, taken by the royal family. This kidnapping was how she found out they were her family. She did not know before but they did. Maybe it was her thick fur or maybe it was her out of place gray eyes, but _they knew. _And they took her son. She was so devastated, but he was there to comfort her with promises of bringing him back no matter what. He promised he would go personally just to get him back. She did not leave his den, not until after many plans of retrieving their son had failed. He stayed with her as often as he could, but his efforts to save their son kept him away. Her other kits stayed with her, though, as well as her niece and nephew. They were always there, hiding away in the den with her, muffling her sobs.

They were cozy when she left. It had been so long since she'd seen her son; she couldn't take it any longer. She left in the middle of the night, whispering a sweet goodbye into the ear of her beloved. In the morning, when he could not find her, he panicked. All searches for his son were postponed until they could find her. They knew where he was, but he didn't know where she was. She was his everything. His everything was gone and he was gone. There were patrols all over the mountain, but none of them could find her. While she was gone, she dreamed of nights with him. He dreamed of nights with her. They were comforted by those dreams and it kept them warm.

They were cozy when she rescued him. It took her days to find the royal family, but when she did they welcomed her with open paws. They never turned away family, they said. She met the head of the family and her father's siblings. It was all so unreal to her. They fed her and warmed her up. They were so homely to her, she almost forgot why she was there. Almost. When she finally questioned them about the whereabouts of her son, they brought him to her. They told her she could take her son home on one conditioned: she stayed with them. They needed her, they said. She was a princess and they needed her. She later found out that was a lie. That night, her aunt helped her and her son sneak home. She was eternally grateful.

They were cozy when they returned home. She was almost tackled to the ground by her friends and family, demanding where she had been. Her son stumbled away to see the medicine cat while she was interrogated. She did not pay attention to the questions, though. Her eyes searched for _him_, but she couldn't find him. When she asked, they told her he had not left his den in days. She went to his den immediately. He ran to her and they embraced. She buried her face into his chest and held back a choked sob. She had missed him so much, and he her. They did not leave each other's side that night and the next night and even the night after that.

They were cozy when she moved to the nursery once again. It was moons later. The royal family had been forgotten. The kits grew up, almost warriors. He was growing old and slow. She could see that each day. She asked him to retire and let the deputy take over. She figured it would be fine, since he did not get nine lives from StarClan, but he refused. He would never quit. She knew it was silly to ask, but she asked every day. Her belly grew as he grew old. It was a vicious cycle, but they were happy.

They were cozy the night he passed. It was the coldest night they ever faced in the mountains. It chilled them to the bones. It was only their second winter in the mountains, but it was colder than anything they had ever felt. She slept in the nursery. She was close, her belly round with kits. He stayed with her that night, keeping her warm. He promised her she would be warm, and he kept that promise. He was old. His fur was graying and his breaths were raspy and slow. She dreamed of playing in the meadow with her all of her kits and the rest of her family. She dreamed of her sister and the potential kits she could have had. She dreamed of her mother and her father, both happy and not murderous. As for him, he stopped breathing sometime during the night. He passed peacefully, climbing the skies and joining StarClan. Though he hated them with all his might, they acknowledged his love for his family. She stayed, and he waited for her.

They were cozy when she passed. It was many, many moons later. She was a retired elder by then, stuck in the den with her friends. They called themselves the Trio and told stories of their adventures to the kits. She still laughed and played with them all, but when her kits came to visit, there was a far off look in her eyes. She missed him. Sickness had passed through the Clan. As she aged, she lost her immunity. So she caught the sickness and passed in her sleep. Her climb to the stars was the best thing she could have hoped for. She felt young again the moment she saw him. Nothing could contain her surprise at seeing him, relief that he had waited so long just to be with her.

They were cozy when they faded away. They refused to leave each other's side. The longer they stayed in StarClan, the more they faded. It was a slow process. It took more than an eternity for them to go together. From the sky, they saw their kits' kits and their kits and even their kits after that. Generations they left behind. When they faded, they passed on to a new life, where they would surely meet again and fall in love again. When they faded into a new life, they would surely grow up to love for even longer.

They were cozy when they were reborn. It was a strange process. Live a warrior life, die and go to StarClan, fade away, and live a warrior life again. Of course, they had no knowledge of their past life, but they grew up again and fell in love again. They slept together and protected each other. They grew old together. Centuries went on and still they were reborn again and again. Their love never faded, not ever.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I did not cry while writing this no I did not you are all crazy of course I did not.<strong>

**It has been forever and a half since I've written, oh man. I didn't use one name in this I think that might be a bad thing but if you were a part of TacoClan you should know who this is about. If not, well you're out of luck. c:**


	40. Breaking

"So, Smokestar, what's up?"

Pheasantflight was following the grey leader on a hunting patrol. It really wasn't a hunting patrol, though. It was more like they were just spending time together. They had been doing a lot of that recently. She followed him, though, instead of hunting.

He was silent, something she had gotten used to during their walks. He didn't even acknowledge her. She knew he would soon, though. He usually talked to her about his personal problems, something she was fine listening to. She even gave him some advice sometimes.

"Smokestar, stop the act," she said suddenly. "I know why we're out here. Same reason as each time before: you have something important to talk to me about. No need to be super mysterious or whatever it is you like to do."

The tom stopped walking, causing Pheasantflight to almost run right into his behind. "I see. I have become rather predictably, I suppose." He turned to her and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. "I'm glad that you stay instead of leave."

"No problem." She sat down, copying how the tom in front of her settled down. "So, what's up?"

Smokestar sighed. "I'm not quite sure how to talk about this, so if you could refrain from commenting until I have gotten all of my thoughts together, that would be great. I'm sure you have noticed that my deputy's belly has been growing." He was silent for a few moments. "I am the father of those kits." He looked into her eyes and quickly added, "I'm not sure why I did what I did. It was on a whim and I regret it every day. I don't know what to do. I'm going to be a father, but I'm not even her mate. I just don't know what to do."

Pheasantflight nodded. _So he did the do with you know who… Huh. He wants me to help him with _that?_ What does he want me to do? What does he want me to say? This is the tom I, uh, care for greatly, and he tells me about how he had some sort of one night stand with his deputy._

"Pheasantflight?"

_What is wrong with him? For StarClan's sake, I thought I found a nice, single tom that might actually like me back, but no. No. Pheasantflight will never get a happy ending, now will she? Of course not. Never ever. Everyone she loves either dies or leaves her. She just gets to be by herself forever._

"Pheasantflight?" He stood and stepped forward, giving her the slightest of nudges that she barely felt.

_No. Not this time. I'm in control now. _At his touch, something in her snapped. She looked at him and laughed. She grinned and laughed until she started breaking. She was still laughing when she leaped forward. She was laughing when she pinned the tom down. She was laughing when Smokestar's throat was no longer attached to his body, but instead was on the ground next to his bleeding body. She was laughing still while she tore into his body. It felt good. She liked the feel of blood splattering against her face and it sticking to her fur and claws.

When Pheasantflight finally stopped, there was nothing left of her leader. What was there, she left to rot. She wasn't done, and she probably wouldn't be done any time soon.

When she returned to camp, she was riddled with cuts she made herself and a sob story she almost made herself. Shimmertail approached her first, demanding to know what happened. She quickly spun her tale, that the Coldbloods had ambushed her and Smokestar while they were hunting. They let her live, but the tom wasn't so lucky. She told them it was a warning that the longer they refused to serve them, the more casualties they would face. It was a sob story indeed, and by the end of it Pheasantflight believed it herself.

She was taken to Shadyfern's den to be treated while Shimmertail called a Clan meeting. Not that it mattered to the golden she-cat. She didn't care who the new leader would be, just as long as Shimmertail left soon.

Nightfall fell sooner than the golden she-cat anticipated. She could hear Shadyfern snoring, something she didn't recall the small she-cat doing before. It was good timing to go. She slipped out of the den.

She found her destination and cat of choice easily and quickly. Pheasantflight nudged the sleeping form and whispered, "Psst, hey Featherstripe. Shadyfern took me out on a walk to stretch my legs and lost her. I can't find her. I'm scared her might have been 'napped and I need your help. Before we left, she said to get you if anything happened."

The she-cat's eyes flew open and she dashed out of the den and out of camp before another word could be spoken. It was too late at night for Featherstripe to be rational about what was happening. Pheasantflight followed her quietly, paws itching.

"Shadyfern? Shadyfern!" The calls echoed throughout the quiet mountain. They were far out, so the calls echoed for a long time. After minutes, or maybe hours, Featherstripe stopped and turned to the golden she-cat. "Pheasantflight, where is she?"

She smiled. Again, her mind was breaking. "Oh, well she's not out here. She's back at camp, sleeping like a kit."

"What? I don't understand."

Pheasantflight started circling around the she-cat, like a predator would their prey. "You took him from me, you know. I was going to tell him, but you ruined it. You ruined everything. I should've let Spiderpaw kill you. I know he was itching for it. I'm sure Ashfur was itching for it, too. You probably killed him. Not directly, oh no. He left, though. He died out there. I'm sure he did."

"Stop it! What are you doing?" Featherstripe cried.

"Unlike Smokestar, I want you to think about all the things you ever did wrong. Everything that went bad when you stole Cedarwhisker away from me," she growled. "Your son is a murderer because of you. He killed Spiderpaw. That's why my brother went missing, because your son decided to avenge you." That she was making up, but it was true. She just didn't know it.

Pheasantflight started yelling slander at Featherstripe until the she-cat finally fell to the ground, sobbing. The golden she-cat took that chance to attack the distressed warrior, grabbing her neck so hard it snapped. With strength she didn't know she had, she threw the dead cat.

"Well, that's done wi-"

"Phes?"

Her head snapped up and her eyes met with bright yellow eyes. "Fishface?"

"Phes, what did you do?" The russet tom rushed past her and knelt next to the fallen she-cat. "Featherstripe, get up. Please."

"You weren't supposed to be here. No one was supposed to be here. I chose night just for this reason!" Pheasantflight screamed. "How dare you follow us? Fishface… Now I have to…" She didn't bother finishing. Inside, she was just breaking more. "I'm sorry," she whispered before lunging forward.

Cedarwhisker was so surprised she was able to pin him easily. He struggled, but he couldn't get away. "Pheasantflight, you need to stop! This isn't you. You would never hurt a soul."

"Oh, but I would, and I did." A smile slowly formed on her face, the corners of her mouth twitching ever so slightly. "Part of this is your fault, you know."

"How could any of this be my fault?" The russet tom shook his head. "What's happening to you?"

"I was in love with you, but you chose _her_. I thought we had something special. You saved my life, for StarClan's sake!" As she spoke, she dug her claws into Cedarwhisker's chest. "We spent so much time together, you and I. We would've been so happy together. But you ruined it. You followed us, and _now you get to join Featherstripe._"

"Wait, wait, wait, no-"

Pheasantflight raked her claws down and deep. She wanted to hear the tom scream, but unfortunately he didn't. All she heard from him were pleas for her to stop. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, "You should have loved me," before dealing the final blow. She left the bodies there and walked away.

She walked for a good hour before she realized she didn't know where she was going. The Clan was surely going to find out it was her sooner or later. They would get suspicious. She kept walking free while the others were murdered. She couldn't keep spinning the Coldbloods story either. It was just too risky.

She kept walking until she walked right to the place she never thought she'd find: the home of the Coldbloods. There were no guards posted to stop her from walking right in. It was like a maze. It didn't take her long to find a very large room. Only one thing moved, and it looked at her with piercing eyes.

"Welcome, daughter of Claw. I knew you would come eventually."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- The strangest AU I have ever written. I feel like she would have snapped if she wasn't such a pushover about her emotions. Poor baby.<strong>


End file.
